Sotheby’s International Realty® and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Property information herein is derived from various sources including, but not limited to, county records and multiple listing services, and may include approximations. All information is deemed accurate.

GUNN SWAINSTON GROUP
The First and the Best in Luxury
The Vinoy - Penthouse Unit 1304 | Sold $4,000,000

The Vinoy - Unit 811 | Sold $2,395,000

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The Vinoy - Unit 824 | Sold $2,200,000

The Vinoy - Unit 814 | Sold $1,950,000

In 2017 and 2018 The Gunn Swainston Group achieved record breaking sales for their sellers in
downtown St. Petersburg, and they take great pleasure in announcing a few of their accomplishments.
Let them do the same for you.
GUNNSWAINSTONGROUP.COM
ST. PETERSBURG | 120 2nd Avenue NE | St. Petersburg, Florida 33701
CLEARWATER | 907 S. Fort Harrison, Suite 101 | Clearwater, Florida 33756

Robyn Gunn | 727.421.7234
Diane Swainston | 727.688.8875

68

CONTENTS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 l Volume 2 No. 4

SPOTLIGHT
10-14 Taking It to The Streets

32

42

The 15th Annual Firestone Grand Prix hits
the streets of St. Petersburg March 8-10.
We take a look behind the scenes to ﬁnd
out what it takes to put on a world-class
motorsports event.

44

62-64 Under the Lights
The St. Petersburg Shuﬄeboard Club has
made a comeback in a very big way.

33

66-67 Old is New Again
Two historic hotels – the Belleview Inn
and the Fenway -- have re-opened with
stunning renovations.

The two iconic Surrealists had much
in common. We explore the Dali’s
latest exhibit which is both playful and
introspective.

60 Longboat and Lido Keys

Take a weekend getaway at one of two
resorts on the spectacular beaches
around Sarasota.

68 Casa Monica

Elegance and Old World charm are
alive and well in St. Augustine.

72 SPL SCENE

The social scene, galas, grand openings
and fundraisers around town.

38 Dining Out – Dr BBQ

Not your average barbecue joint,
St. Pete welcomes Dr. BBQ to the
downtown dining scene. Get ready
for a fun scene and some ﬁnger-lickin’
good ‘cue.

4

StPeteLifeMag.com

January/February 2019

A W A R D W I N N I N G.

windstarhomes.com

WELCOME TO SPL
ABOUT US

Happy New Year
Another year has arrived and we can’t be more excited. We are so
proud to be part of this city’s growth and future. Each year, we see how
new businesses and arts bring vitality to this city that only decades
ago was “God’s waiting room.” Today, the vibrancy and beauty of St.
Petersburg are becoming known around the world.
In this issue, we salute the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg,
celebrating its 15th year as one of the city’s most celebrated weekends.
This world-class event, which brings six race series to the streets of St.
Pete, is the season opener of the legendary IndyCar series. It attracts
thousands of race fans, tourists and international media coverage to the
Sunshine City. Hosting this race is a gem in our cap, and the City of St.
Petersburg should be lauded for continuing to host the race. Check out
our coverage and get your tickets early. Join the fun March 8-10 and be
part of the city’s ﬁnest event of the year.
As we head into 2019, we continue to cover the city’s ever-growing arts
scene. Make a resolution to visit one of our amazing museums, join a
Second Saturday ArtWalk, or visit a gallery or festival this year. Our arts
scene is truly special as you will see when you read our coverage of the
spectacular Jean Schlumberger Jewels of the Imagination exhibit at the
Museum of Fine Arts, and the Magritte exhibit at the Dali Museum. Two
must-see shows!
As an ode to Valentine’s Day, arts writer Cindy Stovall knocks it out of
the ballpark with her proﬁles on St. Pete’s two well-known “sweetheart”
couples – Yann and Susana Weymouth and Eugenie Bondurant and Paul
Wilborn. Her story will remind us that love does, indeed, come at the
most unexpected times.
Our Neighborhoods focus this issue is on Driftwood, a hidden gem just
south of downtown. It’s ﬁlled with history just like the St. Petersburg
Shuﬄeboard Club. We hope you enjoy our features on both.

St. Pete Life Magazine is a bi-monthly print
publication distributed by mail to 20,000 of St.
Pete’s most discriminating readers as well as at key
local outlets.

Taking It To The Streets
15th Annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
PHOTO /FIRESTONE GRAND PRIX OF ST. PETERSBURG

BY MARCIA BIGGS
World-class IndyCar racing will be roaring through the streets of
downtown St. Petersburg March 8-10, and the excitement could not
be higher. With hometown driver Sebastien Bourdais again at the
wheel for Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan, local race fans
will be cheering him on after winning both the 2017 and 2018 St.
Pete IndyCar races.
The St. Pete race is the 2019 season opener and the ninth
consecutive season opener for the IndyCar series, which always
lends a sense of anticipation and excitement to the event. “With the
start of a new season, anything could happen. We may have some
new sponsors and new drivers. The teams feel it can be anybody’s
race to win,” said Kim Green, co-owner and CEO of Green Savoree
Racing Promotions, organizers of the St. Pete race.
The race is often called “the IndyCar version of Monaco,” with its
spectacular waterfront track winding through downtown, past
yachts and the eye-catching Dali Museum. The race annually
attracts legions of hardcore IndyCar fans from across the country,

10

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January/February 2019

including a global audience thanks to the magic of TV broadcasting.
Hundreds of sports writers and photographers converge here,
posting stories and images on web sites, social media, and to
newspapers around the world.
Nothing could be better for the Sunshine City, says St. Petersburg
Chamber of Commerce president Chris Steinocher, than those
helicopter views of the picture-postcard waterfront, lined with palm
trees and yachts aﬂoat in the sparkling turquoise bay.
“Florida is a lot more than beaches and amusement parks,” says
Steinocher. “When people see those images, they come to St. Pete
for the race or for the museums or because it’s a beautiful city. We
don’t get oﬃcial numbers on attendance, but we estimate the
weekend brings in close to 150,000 people and has close to $48
million in economic impact … it’s a huge impact.”
Indeed, it appears after 14 years, downtown residents and
businesses are coming to terms with having a major race event

SPOTLIGHT
in their front yard. “People now know how to plan around it
and businesses have become a lot more savvy with leveraging
promotions and staﬃng,” says Steinocher. “They understand it
brings in a diﬀerent group of visitors, and race fans who spend a lot
of money.”

an honor to lead a city that has the eyes of the racing world on it
during the race every year. I am always proud of our Sunshine City,
but we shine especially bright during the Grand Prix. I look forward to
welcoming back the drivers, the teams, the international media, and
most of all, the thousands of race fans to the Sunshine City.”

The collaboration of the City of St. Petersburg with Green Savoree
to build and tear down the track and all its components, has
evolved into a well-oiled machine. Most streets downtown, with the
exception of Bayshore, will remain open until the four days of race
weekend. Race weekend is now a highly anticipated annual event,
attracting not only race fans from near and far, but families and
vacationers.

The weekend will feature three days of time trials and championship
racing with six diﬀerent racing series: the IndyCar Series, Indy Lights
presented by Cooper Tires, Indy Pro 2000 presented by Cooper Tires,
Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship, Pirelli GT4 America and TC
America. The star IndyCar Series Race will take to the streets on Sunday
for a 198-mile shoot-out on a 1.8-mile course with 14 turns. Festivities
will include a Speed Zone with interactive games and exhibits, a Fan
Village, beer gardens (including one ﬂoating trackside in Tampa Bay),
driver autograph sessions and other events to be announced.

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman has become a keen fan of the
race. “Every year, I look forward to the Firestone Grand Prix of
St. Petersburg when our city transforms itself around some of the
greatest racing in the world,” said Kriseman. “It is a pleasure and

For updated information on the Firestone Grand Prix of St.
Petersburg, go to gpstpete.com

PHOTO/BARRY LIVELY

Get Down On It
Kick oﬀ race weekend by running
or walking part of the Firestone
Grand Prix track on Friday, March
8, at the 7th Annual Modern
Business Associates 5K Run.
Race time is 6 pm; proceeds
beneﬁt the Police Athletic League
of St. Petersburg. For more
information, go to gpstpete5k.
com
Ticket Information
Weekend (three-day) general
admission tickets are $55 for
adults and a junior ticket for ages 12 and under is available for
$30. Sunday adult ticket is $50/ $25 for 12 and under; Saturday
adult ticket is $35, /$20 for 12 and under; Friday adult ticket is
$20 for all ages. General admission does not include a reserved

grandstand seat. 3-Day Grandstand
seats start at $105 and $70 for
juniors. Pit Access and Firestone
Paddock Passes can also be
purchased now. Single-day tickets
will be released for sale closer to
the event.
Want to really get into the race
weekend? Available for a limited
time, Champions Club includes
a Paddock Pass for the weekend
pass ($75), plus allows members
unprecedented access to attend the
oﬃcial IndyCar drivers meeting on race day, an opportunity to
win a two-seater Indy car ride on track, merchandise discount
and other exclusive experiences. The pass does not include
general admission or a grandstand seat.

SPOTLIGHT
PHOTO /CITY OF ST PETE

Volunteers Are Key to Race
Local volunteers contribute to the overall success of the Firestone
Grand Prix every year. “There would be no race without the
volunteers,” says race organizer Kim Green. At the helm of the
huge task of organizing volunteers is Giles Dowden, Director
of Sales and Client Services for the Firestone Grand Prix of St.
Petersburg. He has been managing the Volunteer Program here
for the past ﬁve years. We caught up with him recently to ﬁnd out
more about volunteering.
How many volunteers does it take to put on the St. Petersburg
race?
St. Petersburg utilizes a team of around 650 dedicated volunteers
to help make the race happen each March.

What are some of the responsibilities of volunteers?
They support key operational areas which include access
control, credential center, grandstands, corporate hospitality
and suites, information services, media center, photography,
ceremonies, yacht club, show car program amongst other roles and
responsibilities.
What does it take to be a volunteer?
We have a wide array of people that serve as volunteers . We have
local college students, retirees and people that take time oﬀ from
their regular jobs to volunteer. Some of our volunteers even travel
from other parts of the country just to be a part of this great event
here in St. Petersburg.
The volunteers we seek are dedicated individuals who are excited
to take part and show pride in their role with the Firestone Grand
Prix of St. Petersburg. They have a passion to serve others and in
essence are ambassadors for our great city.
What are some of the perks of volunteering?
We have had lucky volunteers who have had the opportunity to
meet and escort the drivers during the race weekend. We have also
had a volunteer or two who were able to get a ride around the track
with racing legend Mario Andretti! Being a volunteer is just a great
way to be a key part of this annual tradition in Tampa Bay.
Volunteers should be available the entire race weekend and must be
18 or older. If you have a friendly and can-do attitude, learn how to
volunteer for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg at gpstpete.
com/contact/volunteer

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January/February 2019

CONVERSATION

Kim Green
Co-owner, Chairman and CEO, Green Savoree Racing Promotions

Kim Green and Kevin Savoree, far right,
join Mayor Kriseman in applauding
2018 Verizon IndyCar winner Sebastien
Bourdais.
Back in 2005, putting on the ﬁrst St. Pete Grand Prix was diving
into uncharted territory for Kim Green. Even though he had
three decades of experience in motorsports -- his company,
Indianapolis-based Green Savoree Racing Promotions, which he
co-owns with Kevin Savoree, runs races in Toronto, Mid-Ohio
and Portland -- this was a new city requiring a street track, lots
of money, and a learning curve for a city with no experience
putting on a world-class auto race.

Putting on the city’s largest weekend event each year has been
a labor of love for Green. What’s he most proud of?

Now 15 years later, the native Australian is still in the race. After
experiencing major ﬁnancial losses in the early years, Green has
come full circle, learning what it takes to put on an economically
sound and successful street race in St. Pete without losing your
proverbial pants.

Working hand-in-hand with the city staﬀ has evolved into an
eﬃcient partnership, says Green. “The cooperation from the
city is very good,” he says. “All the departments are involved
from sanitation to traﬃc and police. They are all professional
and they value it as an event that brings business and worldwide
exposure. … Our relationship with downtown businesses has
gotten better, too. We want everything to be a win-win.”

Though Green Savoree had an oﬃce here from the start, Green
decided to make St. Pete home in 2015. He was impressed
with the city, he says, everything from its friendly residents to
the restaurants, art museums, waterfront, and of course, the
beautiful weather year-round. “One of the reasons I moved here
is that it feels very friendly,” he relates. “It’s what I call a hidden
gem, not too big, not too small, with great restaurants and
gorgeous beaches.”

“I think we have built an event bigger than a race,” says Green.
“We have more resident activities like a 5K race on the track, car
themed movies showing at a nearby park, we’ve really tried to
grow the weekend. We use mostly local contractors, so the race
creates a lot of business for the local economy.”

So what’s the word on the track? Do the teams and drivers like
the Sunshine City as much as Kim Green?
“The teams and drivers really do enjoy coming here,” says
Green. “It’s a beautiful city, the racetrack works very well and
they enjoy driving it.”

January/February 2019

StPeteLifeMag.com

13

SPOTLIGHT
2019

ALBERT WHITTED AIRPORT

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Getting To The Race
What you need to know

14

Park Downtown: City parking garages are a $10-all-day event
rate on Friday and a $15-all-day event rate on Saturday and
Sunday. Motorcycle parking is available for $5, Saturday and
Sunday along the west side of 1st Street South between 1st
Avenue South and Central Avenue.

Take the St. Petersburg Trolley: The Looper Downtown Trolley
and Central Avenue Shuttle (St. Pete’s trolley system) oﬀers
rides throughout Grand Prix weekend for .50 per person. The
Looper provides a circular route between the city’s parking
facilities, hotels, restaurants and attractions at no charge.

Park and Ride Shuttle from the Trop: From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
there is a free shuttle service from Tropicana Field to the race
course. Park in Lots 1 and 2 at Tropicana Field, the cost will be
$10 by crediti card only. The shuttle picks passengers up on 16th
Street S. and drops oﬀ passengers at Second Street S. and Fifth
Avenue S. The shuttle operates all three race days from 7 a.m.
to 10 p.m. and is ADA accessible.

For updated information on parking, street closures and other
transportation issues, go to the City’s website at
stpete.org/grandprix

StPeteLifeMag.com

January/February 2019

All information in this article is subject to change.

SPL EVENTS

Guide Dogs Walkathon
The Southeastern Guide Dogs annual Walkathon is coming!
Head over to Vinoy Park on Saturday, Feb. 23, for this familyfriendly, dog-friendly, make-a-diﬀerence Walkathon that
helps support programs that provide paws for people with
vision loss and veterans with disabilities. (See SPL NovemberDecember issue for the full story.) Vinoy Park, 201 Bayshore
Drive NE on the St. Pete waterfront, is one of ﬁve locations
across Florida hosting Walkathons. Bring lots of dogs because
we’re going for a world record for the most dogs wearing a
bandana at a single event. Bandanas will be provided for all
pooches. This free event includes a 3K walk and a Waggin’ Tails
Festival with live music, a beer garden, food trucks, doggie
zone, kids’ corner, and vendor fair. Registration starts at 9 am,
walks start at 10 am, and the Waggin’ Tails Festival is 11 am to
2 pm. To register, go to guidedogswalkathon.org/

Fire and Ice
The colorful Imagine Museum, 1901 Central Ave., celebrates its second
Fire & Light beneﬁt party on January 26. Enjoy live music, food and drink
under the big tent, and wander the galleries ﬁlled with astounding work by
American Studio Glass artists. Tickets $125 members/$150 non-members.
Contact Lisa Ferrer at lferrer@imaginemuseum.com or (727) 300-1700 ext.
105 to purchase tickets.

Half Page Ad

January/February 2019

StPeteLifeMag.com

15

SPL EVENTS

FHM Celebrates “To Life”
The Florida Holocaust
Museum will host Dr. Jeﬀrey
K. Cohen as a featured
speaker for the Museum’s
annual beneﬁt, “To Life:
Rock, Roll, Remember” on
February 9 at the Vinoy
Renaissance Hotel. Dr.
Cohen is the President of
Allegheny General Hospital,
the hospital that treated
the gunman from the Tree
of Life synagogue shooting
that occurred in Pittsburgh in October. The museum
will be presenting Dr. Cohen and his team with the
2019 Loebenberg Humanitarian Award. In addition,
The FHM will also be presenting the Loebenberg
Humanitarian Award posthumously to iconic concert
promoter Bill Graham, the subject of the current
exhibition at the Museum, Bill Graham and the Rock
& Roll Revolution. Graham’s sons, David and Alex,
will be accepting the award on his behalf. The Vinoy
Renaissance Hotel, 501 5th Ave NE, St. Petersburg;
tickets are $250 by going to www.thefhm.org

“Putting on the Glitz Old Hollywood Style” will be the theme of this year’s
Wine Weekend St. Pete presented by The Margaret Acheson Stuart Society to beneﬁt the Museum of Fine Arts. Set for February 2-3, the weekend
includes an elegant wine pairing dinner and live auction on Saturday, Feb.
2, with a four-course meal prepared by Chef Tyson Grant of Parkshore
Grill. On Sunday, Feb. 3, a brunch will be presented from 11 am to 1 pm at
400 Beach Seafood and Tap House. Tickets are $300 dinner/$100 brunch;
for reservations go to stuartsociety.donorshops.com

Art After 5
Tired of the same old happy hour scene?
Get a hit of culture at one of a number
of “after 5” events at area museums
which oﬀer admission discounts and
sometimes a bit more. For socializing,
mix and mingle at the monthly Cocktails
& Collections at the Museum of Fine Arts
or entertaining Tuesday nights at the
James Museum of Western & Wildlife
Art.
“We are very happy to bring art to a
wider audience on Tuesdays with our
extended hours and reduced admission,”
said James Museum founding director Bernice Chu. “The $10 Tuesdays
are a great way for visitors to experience The James Museum while
listening to local musicians or learning from local artists. Our goal is to
oﬀer a variety of programs that connect, engage and inspire.”
Check out one of these “art after 5” happenings:
Cocktails & Collections is held on the third Thursday of each month
from 5 to 7 pm at the Museum of Fine Arts. Each month focuses on
one of the MFA galleries or special exhibitions, highlighting a diﬀerent
work or a special artist guest speaker. Enjoy live music, a customized
docent tour, light bites and a signature cocktail inspired by the diﬀerent
works and artists. Cost $20, includes ﬁrst cocktail. mfastpete.org

The stunning new James Museum of
Western & Wildlife Art is open all day
Tuesdays (10 am to 8 pm) for only $10.
Peruse more than 400 works of art
evoking the spirit of a wide-open frontier
and the beauty of life in the wild. Each
week something special starts at 5
p.m. including Western movies, gallery
talks, artist demonstrations and live
music. Check out the event calendar at
thejamesmuseum.org/events/
Imagine Museum in the Grand Central
District stays open late every Thursday
(5-8 pm) when admission is only $5. On Tuesdays, The Art/Heart
Connection at 5:30 pm oﬀers one hour of Urban Yoga ($10) to practice
your zen in a world of light, reﬂection, and creative expression. Must
BYO yoga mat. imaginemuseum.com
Poetry at The Dali is an ongoing series hosted by St. Petersburg Poet
Laureate Helen Pruitt Wallace on the second Thursday of each month
from 6 to 7:30 in the Will Raymund Theater through May. Pruitt Wallace
is joined by selected poets to present poems addressing the theme of
“Things Are Not as They Seem.” Free admission, parking is free after 5
pm, go to thedali.org/event/

All Photos Courtesy of
G. Joseph Fitzgerald, DO

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January/February 2019

StPeteLifeMag.com

17

NEIGHBORHOODS

Driftwood
Hidden South St. Pete community
is aﬂoat with historic charm

BY JONATHAN KILE
A little south of downtown St. Pete, the city’s orderly grid pattern
dissolves into a few narrow winding lanes, sheltered in a dark tree
canopy. A unique piece of our coastline known as Big Bayou hasn’t
been dredged into ﬁngered patterns of waterfront parcels. Instead,
a small community has formed in the shadows of old oaks draped
in philodendrons and night-blooming cereus. Instead of manicured
lawns, a carpet of ferns and ivies with narrow paths lead to homes
that hide in the shade.
The neighborhood is appropriately called Driftwood.
It’s a special spot. From Old Southeast, take 1st Street South until
it ends, and you have arrived. The peninsula’s earliest European
residents chose this point for a settlement called Pinellas Village.

18

StPeteLifeMag.com

January/February 2019

Before there was St. Pete, there was history here. This was the site
of the only military action of the Civil War in what would become
Pinellas County, when a Union frigate engaged homesteaders
suspected of smuggling. Some of St. Pete’s prominent early families
made their homes on Big Bayou. This is the known and often
repeated history of Driftwood.
In the 1930s, Mark Dixon Dodd and architect Archie Parish designed
19 distinctive homes here. Clever combinations of blocks and beams
and lots of windows characterize homes made to ﬁght the summer
heat in an era before air conditioning. Another batch of mid-century
modern homes from the 1950s feature crisp lines and low angles
that took advantage of new building materials, techniques and
tastes.

NEIGHBORHOODS
Common Ground
Driftwood’s homes reﬂect diverse styles, but what they all have
in common is the appreciation for the old, dense landscape that
protects the coastal neighborhood from sun and wind. Where other
neighborhoods have seen their canopies dwindle by attrition from
lots clear-cut by developers aiming to maximize square footage,
homes in Driftwood have quietly changed hands over the years, or,
in some cases been passed from generation to generation. Even the
larger waterfront homes are framed by majestic oaks that would
take 100 years to replace.
How has Driftwood avoided the fate of other areas of St. Pete? One
big reason is its tight-knit community of conscientious homeowners.
Here, a volunteer neighborhood association (dues are $50 annually)
has regular meetings and safely maintaining the area’s lush
landscape is a frequent topic of discussion. They have reached a
special agreement with utility companies who are normally eager to
cut ﬁrst and ask questions later. From their dues they pay a private
landscaper to tend to park areas.
The concentration of longtime residents has fostered longstanding
traditions. There is an annual Fourth of July parade where
participants are likely to outnumber spectators. Every ﬁve years

the Pentannual Raft Race pits residents in a home-made rafting
competition with a traveling trophy and enough awards to send
everyone home a winner. There’s an annual post-holiday Christmas
Tree bonﬁre on the waterfront and there are book clubs and
scavenger hunts and a popular New Year’s Eve progressive dinner.
The care and cooperation is a beautiful thing, and something the
neighborhood seeks to protect as development in surrounding areas
nips at Driftwood’s edges. Cities gain identity from the things that
set them apart, and Driftwood may lead the pack among other more
visible city gems like Roser Park, the First Block of Central Avenue,
and the Shuﬄeboard complex. It draws its character not just from
being a century old, but from what has taken a century to create.
Landmark Designation
Recently, a consensus among a majority of neighbors was reached
to apply for local landmark designation as a historic district to
protect the neighborhood from the changes to landscape and scale
of home that well-meaning property owners can bring when they
update older homes. Of the 47 properties, a majority voted to
initiate the application, which is then decided upon by City Council
after a lengthy review. The support is remarkable when considering
the task of communicating with so many property owners.

Driftwood celebrates each July 4th with a neighborhood parade. Photo/Trish Moore

It’s easy to see why Driftwood is special while taking a stroll with
Laurie Macdonald, a resident for nearly 30 years. We don’t make it
far without stopping to chat with a familiar face. She explains that
Driftwood is a little diﬀerent than some other districts that have
sought to protect architectural style elements.

of tax breaks and exceptions from modern rules that are impractical
to enforce when improving older properties. National data also
indicates that property values in historic districts outpace the
market and tend to be more stable in downturns.
Through boom and bust, Driftwood grew from unusual beginnings
into a place unlike anywhere else in the city. With continued care
and an eye toward its past, it will continue as a hidden jewel, nearby
-- but somehow oﬀ -- the beaten path.

“Our residents are concerned about preserving the integrity of
Driftwood through maintaining its unique landscape and one of
the main threats is that developers tend to clear-cut properties
when building a new home. From what we’ve seen built here over
the years, lots in Driftwood can accommodate eclectic homes
compatible with the scale and character of the neighborhood.”
Laws pertaining to local designation acknowledge the added eﬀort
in owning property in a historic district. Owners can take advantage

To see a short video on Driftwood, go to
Neighborhood Proﬁles on the city’s web site
at http://www.stpete.org/neighborhoods/
neighborhood_proﬁles.php

Driftwood founder was renowned artist
In a city full of museums and resident artists, Mark Dixon Dodd was
the ﬁrst nationally known artist to call St. Pete home. In the 1930s,
he designed 19 homes in Driftwood, each with a painting to hang
over the ﬁreplace. A testament to their charm, all 19 of those homes
remain and many owners still display their original Dodd paintings.
Dodd, too, remained in St. Pete. He opened an art school, was a
prominent ﬁxture in many art shows, and his work was featured in
the 100th anniversary celebration of the Morean Art Center. He split
his time between St. Pete and the mountains of North Carolina until
he died here in 1952. We can thank Dodd for his role in nurturing St.
Pete’s early art community.
A painting by Mark Dixon Dodd hangs above the ﬁreplace in
a Driftwood home. Photo/Laurie Macdonald

BY CINDY COCKBURN
Ah, the gift of music. Sometimes just singing along to our favorite
lyrics can lift our spirits and soothe the soul. Romantic Valentine’s
Day is fast approaching and show tunes about love are swirling.
Sarah Brightman, the world’s leading and best-selling soprano,
will bring her “HYMN: Sarah Brightman In Concert” tour to the
Duke Energy Center for the Arts, Mahaﬀey Theater on February
19 at 7:30 pm. “Hymn” was recorded during the past two years,
with sessions in Hamburg, London, Vancouver, Los Angeles, New
York and Budapest and Miami. Critics report the new album is
so successful because it emphasizes the concept of togetherness
during times of global turmoil.
Sarah is best known for “that voice” portraying the role of Christine

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January/February 2019

in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera,” created by her
ex-husband the one-and-only Andrew Lloyd Webber. Her duet with
Andrea Bocelli, “Time To Say Goodbye,” became an international
success selling 12 million copies worldwide. She has performed at
such prestigious events as the 2007 Concert for Diana, the 1992
Barcelona Olympic Games and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Fasten your seat belts, St. Pete, we’re in for an evening ﬁlled with
joy. She’s currently touring around the world (over 125 shows on ﬁve
continents) and she said she can’t wait to enjoy St. Pete’s glorious
weather. Who is this woman beloved by fans around the world? I
tried to ﬁnd out when we caught up on the phone a few days before
Christmas.

CONVERSATIONS
You just performed your new album “HYMN” in South
America, how did that go? How did the audience react to your
performance?
I was so excited that the audience was ﬁlled with younger fans. It
rocked! I think they grew up listening to my music! They actually put
down their cell phones and listened. We need a world where we all
do that more.
You’ve headlined the greatest halls and performing arts centers
in the world. What do you think of Florida?
I love sunny Florida and even bought a small place in Miami. The
nice thing is you can enjoy the “cha cha cha” of South Beach but I
just enjoy walking the beach with my mother.
The new album “HYMN” is joyful and spiritual and ﬁlled with
“light.” I’m sure lots of people around the world will ﬁnd their
spirits lifted with such an inspirational album. Was this your
intention? Did you feel the need to lift spirits when you worked
on this music?
Yes, I felt that since people in general are not communicating
in person anymore (so buried in social media) I wanted to oﬀer
positive, uplifting songs. In fact, I’m looking forward to playing in
the smaller, more intimate St. Pete Mahaﬀey Theater where we can
all connect together versus playing to larger arenas.
What was it like working with Andrea Bocelli?
It was challenging and interesting.

We know your husband created the part of Christine for you. How
do you feel about the fact Phantom of the Opera is celebrating
30 years?
I’m happy to have been a little bit of an inspiration.
We understand you’ve sung in many languages including English,
Spanish, French, Latin, German, Turkish, Italian, Russian,
Mandarin Chinese, Japanese and Catalan. Did you tour Dali’s
home in Spain?
My family used to live in Spain … I look forward to seeing the new
Dali Museum if I get the chance. You may think you have a small
town, but people all over the earth think of St. Pete as incredibly
glamorous.”
You have been called the world’s best-selling soprano of all-time.
You’ve performed around the world from The London Symphony
Orchestra to Broadway and the Olympics. Which venue was the
most memorable?
The Olympics in Barcelona in 1992 jumps out immediately. I still
can’t get over the fact that the preparations were so last minute.
They hadn’t even ﬁnished building everything when I arrived. It was
wild. But that’s show biz!”
What is your favorite city, or what destination do you never get
tired of returning to?
My choices are so diverse. I love New York City and I love Toyko
equally.

*CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER. NOT APPLICABLE IF ALREADY DISCOUNTED. DOES NOT INCLUDE OPERATING ROOM AND ANESTHESIA.

January/February 2019

StPeteLifeMag.com

23

SPL EVENTS

MUSE Awards On Tap
The 2019 MUSE Awards will honor Mark Aeling as Visual Artist of
the Year at the 6th annual celebration on February 8 at 7 pm at the
Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Drive. Sponsored by the St. Pete
Arts Alliance, the fundraiser serves to recognize the breadth and
beauty of art and culture and pay tribute to those who continue to
inspire and guide St. Petersburg to its standing as an international
arts destination.
Aeling is an internationally recognized sculptor and a respected
leader in the St. Pete arts community. He opened MGA Sculpture
Studio in St. Petersburg in 2005, where he designs and fabricates
large-scale sculptures seen across Tampa Bay. Of his more notable
work are the six life-sized bronze dolphins in the Sundial courtyard
in downtown St. Pete.
In 2018, Aeling was awarded public art commissions for both the
interior and exterior of the new St. Petersburg Police Headquarters
and will be creating a monument that commemorates the events
of 9/11 called “Rise” that will be located at the ArtsXchange in
the Warehouse Arts District. He has served as president of the
Warehouse Arts District Association since 2012 .
Other honorees will include:
MUSE Performance Arts Award – John Lamb, jazz musician
MUSE Literary Arts Award – Sterling Watson, author and teacher
MUSE Patron of the Arts Award – Lisa and Perry Everett, collectors
and local artist supporters

FRESH.
ELEGANT.
INSPIRATIONAL.

MUSE Arts Ambassador Award – Jennifer and Jeﬀ Lovelady, SHINE
Mural Festival and local arts supporters
MUSE Special Volunteer Recognition – Edel Mohr, photographer
and author of “Murals of the Sunshine City”
Tickets to the MUSE Awards are $125, and available through
stpeteartsalliance.org/muse/

St. Pete Wins Bloomberg Grant
In a joint press conference
on January 3, St.
Petersburg Mayor Rick
Kriseman and Michael
Bloomberg, former mayor
of New York and United
States Special Envoy for
Climate Action, named
St. Petersburg the 20th
city to win the Bloomberg
American Cities Climate
Challenge (ACCC).
With this designation, St.
Petersburg will receive
$2.5 million in resources
from the $70 million
program designed to
foster competition and
“get the juices ﬂowing” in
cities throughout the country to combat climate change.
Bloomberg made a call for applications from 100 of the largest
U.S. cities in June 2018 to ﬁnd innovative ways to reduce their
carbon footprint.

“We are still in,” declared
Kriseman at the press
conference, which took
place at Albert Whitted
Park. “A city leading the
way in taking action to
address climate change
and working toward clean
energy goals in one of the
areas in the nation’s most
vulnerable to climate
change and sea level
rise.”
The resources from the
Bloomberg Foundation
will go towards the
implementation of the
City of St. Petersburg’s
Integrated Sustainability
Action Plan (ISAP), which is currently being ﬁnalized. The
resources from the ACCC will primarily be directed toward
building and transportation improvements.
– St. Pete Catalyst

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January/February 2019

StPeteLifeMag.com

25

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The Hideaway Café
is unique among St.
Petersburg’s live music
venues. You can get
wine and beer, but
it isn’t a bar, exactly.
There’s a kitchen, which
turns out pretty tasty
food, but it’s not really
a restaurant. First and
foremost, the Hideaway
Café – celebrating its
10th anniversary – is a
“listening room.”
Essential to the culture
of music-centric cities
like Nashville, Austin
and even New York, a
listening room puts the
focus squarely on the
performers onstage, with
a top-notch, hear-the-pin-drop sound system and lights that don’t
do anything but make the musicians easier to see.
And that’s just what John Kelly, the Hideaway’s owner/operator,
intended.
“No one’s sitting facing the bar,” he explains. “The whole place is
set up to look at the stage. So even the biggest, heaviest nights
in here, for the most part you tend to watch the show. It’s not
just background, no matter where you are in the room. And what
about when there’s a hundred people in there, and it’s totally
quiet? That’s amazing.”
A native of Teaneck, New Jersey, Kelly got the acoustic,
audiophile bug during the near-decade he spent in Nashville,
working as a graphic designer, mortgage broker, bartender, chef
and whatever else it took to keep food on the table while he
pursued his passion for music.
“I moved to Nashville with zero plan,” he says. “I was 23 or 24, and
I probably had 600 bucks. And it changed everything. I met my life
at that point.” He played guitar in a band called Left Field Jackson,
which always seemed to be teetering on the edge of success
but never quite made that ﬁnal plunge. Not for lack of trying on
Kelly’s part. Piece by piece, he created a recording studio in the
basement of the band’s communal house.

Kelly arrived in St. Pete
with crates of mics,
mixers, guitars and
other equipment, the
best of the best, testrun over his years in
Music City. He set up his
ﬁrst business, Hideaway
Recording Studio Inc.,
in the carriage house
behind the home he
rented.
The current Hideaway
began as a studio. Since
he was leasing more
space than he needed,
Kelly reckoned, why not
build a stage, so when
a band, or an acoustic
artist, was ready to
release their record,
they could celebrate with a party and performance?
At ﬁrst they were like house parties, with potluck suppers, the
room ﬁtted out with sofas and soft chairs for what Kelly calls a
“comfy and cozy” vibe. The public was allowed in on Thursdays,
for Open Mic Night. Then Kelly got a license to sell beer and
wine, which led to Fridays and Saturdays, and booking local
and regional performers for the stage. Over time, the schedule
expanded.
In 2011, he annexed the former tattoo parlor next door and ﬁtted
it out with a commercial kitchen. And so the Hideaway became
an actual, food-serving café … with seats that only face the stage.
From the start, the idea was to enforce the direct connection
between artist and audience, by not being a bar with its attendant
noise and bustle.
“From a band standpoint, that’s loud and it works,” Kelly
observes. “For blues and all that stuﬀ, it works. But man, when
you get someone just telling a story, you can’t do that in a bar. If
they’re a really good writer, you miss it all.”
This story has been edited; to read the entire story go to Catalyst,
St. Pete’s daily business platform, at StPeteCatalyst.com. Hideaway
Café is located at 1756 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg.

BY MEGAN SIMONS
On Valentine’s day you need passion
for fashion! You must agree that there
are special days in life that we need to
make unforgettable. How do you make
sure that your image will pleasantly
linger in his mind after the special
day passed? It’s simple, just follow
Coco Chanel’s advice – “dress shabbily
and they remember the dress, dress
impeccably and they remember the
woman.”
Red is the obvious choice, especially for
Valentine’s Day, but I can almost hear
the chorus of voices saying “red is not
my color.” But I can nearly guarantee
you, that in the incredibly wide pallet
of red shades, everyone can ﬁnd the
perfect match, just like ﬁnding the
right partner. Sometimes it takes a
little more eﬀort, but he is out there.
I’m talking, of course, about the right
shade of red.
Imagine the basic red with a slight
splash of yellow, that would be your
warm, tomato red. In strong saturation
applicable for all Fall types, in delicate
shades for all you Springs. Now mix
your basic red with a few drops of
blue, and you get the delicious shade
of raspberry red, just perfect for you
Winters and gentle Summers.
So now, what should you wear?
Actually, that’s not the right question,
the right question is – what impression
would you like to make, what image
and what message would you prefer to
send? But also take into consideration
the circumstances, where are you
planning to spend that romantic day?
Perhaps a picnic for two on the beach?
Gear up for the weather and be sure
to wear layers, starting with a stylish
and unique pair of capri pants or jeans.
A red top is a must but also take with
you a lightweight, light colored leather
jacket. It may come in handy when

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FASHION

the sun goes down or the breeze kicks up. Add a long whiteturquoise, or short black, necklace.
Pants will also work for many other scenarios. Doesn’t a great
pair of black pants with sizzling red embroidery on the side
sound exciting? The combination of two strong colors: black
and red, with added sparkles or metallic accessories is one of
the easiest ways to make your outﬁt speak out that you are truly
superb.

For other date nights the dress may be an essential choice.
Today’s fashion oﬀers us so many wonderful options that you
can really rock your own look. Details will make you stand out
in a crowd. Choose a ﬁtted dress with a big bow in the front, or
a comfortable A-line style with a cold-shoulder and feminine
rushing, or go all the way with sequins and sparkles on your oﬀthe-shoulder dress with ﬂair sleeves. The choice is yours. Oh, by
the way, have an unforgettable Valentine’s Day!

Brings Milan to St Petersburg
BY MICHELLE BOUDREAU
Milan, Italy, is known as a fashion capitol
worldwide, understandably as the glamorous
fashion is renowned. Certainly, in my years of
travel, my favorite place to shop by far is Italy.
Upon walking into the Milano Bags & Shoes
location on Beach Drive I was immediately
transported to Europe. I fell in love with Silvana
Diez’s designs, and had to meet her. As luck
would have it, she happened to be in town.
Hailing from Lima, Peru, Silvana has a 30 year
tenure as a handbag and shoe designer. She
originally attended University to become a
lawyer, while studying art in the afternoon. She
was quickly sought after by store owners in an
upscale nearby shopping mall to design clothing
and windows. This world was fascinating to her
and with a friend owning a large leather tannery
she changed her studies to shoe and handbag
design.

After attending trade shows for 30+ years in
Milan, Silvana shares, “Everyone is so elegant
and fashionable there. They look like models,
they all carry beautiful shopping bags. You just
know every bag contains a beautiful surprise.”
This is her inspiration for the name of her
international brand Milano Bags & Shoes, by
Silvana Diez.
Local resident, and serial entrepreneur Ken
Atchison recognized an opportunity when
meeting Silvana Diez with her designs in Miami.
The owner of Natural Comfort Footwear on
Beach Drive, opened Milano Bags and Shoes as
his tenth store in the state of Florida.
Be sure to visit the store at 212 Beach Drive,
and enjoy the modern, sophisticated yet
comfortable designs with traditional handmade
Italian leather craftsmanship. The priority is
quality.

SPL FAVES
Cool & Collected
Get your athletic man into the best performance underwear
available and he’ll love you forever. There is an abundance of
technical evolution driving men’s underwear now that includes
breathability to improve airﬂow and reduce temperature along
with moisture-wicking. Modal is the fabric to look for: it is
smooth, soft and breathes extremely well. One brand uses a
blend of 95% modal with 5% spandex for the best ﬁt and feel.
It is formulated to be cool to the touch, absorbent, and similar
in texture to silk or cotton. Pictured, 2UNDR is available at
Sartorial Inc. in downtown St. Petersburg.

Sweet Dreams
For handcrafted French and Belgian artisan chocolates
that will steal anyone’s heart, seek out Viktoria Richards
Chocolates. Since 2008, Victoria Boyko Fulwood and
husband Richard have been creating unique chocolates
from their New Port Richey facility. Available at select
distributors (ﬁnd them at Saturday Morning Market in
downtown St. Petersburg), the VRC selection is constantly
changing. We adore the miniature chocolate Matryoshka
Nesting Dolls (9-piece box for $25) ﬁlled with raspberry,
mint, and cinnamon ganache centers. But the Hearts
and Truﬄes gift box (9 pieces for $22.50) is perfect for
Valentine’s Day. Place your order in advance by going to
vrchocoates.com or call (727) 505-6567.

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Words, Women and Wine Madonna
BY BILL DEYOUNG
Growing up in tiny Big
Bend, Wisconsin – the
local kids lovingly
referred to their
hometown as “Large
Lump” – Kris Radish was
desperate for a way out.
At the age of 12, she
started crafting a plan. “I
was an avid reader – and I
was like ‘Oh my God, the
world is bigger than Big
Bend! How can I parlay
my love of reading into
the rest of my life?’” She
was 15 when she left
home.
Fiercely independent, she
became the ﬁrst member
of the family to attend
college, paying for it
herself via a series of odd
jobs, ultimately earning
a degree in journalism
from the University of
Wisconsin. Five decades, an astonishingly varied career and 15
books later, Kris Radish is the co-owner of Wine Madonna, the
boutique wine lounge in downtown St. Petersburg, where she
also mentors up-and-coming writers, sponsors literary events
and hosts book club meetings.
She titled her 2014 collection of autobiographical essays
“Gravel on the Side of the Road: True Stories from a Broad Who
Has Been There.”
Radish’s lengthy career as a writer, editor, bureau chief and
columnist, much of it spent in Utah, was the gateway drug that
led to her transition to ﬁction.
The 80-hour work weeks wore her down. The constant travel.
Working undercover to inﬁltrate a white supremacy group,
exposing the peculiar kind of corruption that exists in the
Mormon church, going on one violent ride-along after another
with the local cops, getting stalked, bullied, threatened. That
sort of stuﬀ will take its toll. Her marriage ended in divorce.
“When I ﬁrst thought of leaving journalism, I was going to
go to law school – because that’s what I was doing anyway,”

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January/February 2019

Radish, 65, explains.
“I was also teaching
part-time at Brigham
Young University,
and then I taught
at the University of
Wisconsin.”
Brieﬂy, she
entertained a
second career as a
psychologist. “My
job, my whole life,
has been getting
people to tell me the
things they didn’t
want to tell me. I
could have gotten
both of these degrees
for free, because I
was teaching.’”
But no. She was a
writer.
Bring on the books
“If any writer tells you they don’t want to write a novel, they’re
lying through their teeth,” she says. “One day you’re sitting
there thinking ‘My God – I went to Bosnia, I was almost killed,
I hung out of airplanes, I held that dying girl’s hand at UCLA, I
saw that little boy get killed by a train – and I had to knock on
the door and ask the questions.’ You might have cried when you
asked the questions, but you did your job.”
Her ﬁrst book, 1992’s “Run, Bambi, Run,” was a true-crime
narrative about a notorious Milwaukee murder. “But what about
all that emotion you have, about loss and love and death? Not
to mention the fact that I am a woman, and I write about what
I know. So I decided I was going to ﬁnally get it all out and write
these novels.”
Published by Random House, Radish’s ﬁrst novel, “The Elegant
Gathering of White Snows,” arrived in 2002.
Six years later, Radish and her partner Madonna Metcalf
devised a plan of their own. “Madonna came into my life when
my kids were younger, and helped me, and when the kids got
into college it was her turn,” Radish explains. “And her dream
had always been to open up a wine bar.”

CONVERSATIONS
The couple relocated to
California, where Metcalf
studied for and received
certiﬁcation by the Court of
Masters as a Sommelier and
a Wine Professional. That
accomplished, they went
looking for a place to open
Wine Madonna.
“As a writer,” Radish smiles, “I
can live anywhere.”
The weather, of course,
attracted them to Florida.
“You’d have to be half blind
not to see that St. Petersburg
was going to go crazy. We
looked everywhere in this
area – we looked at Ybor,
we looked at Clearwater, we
looked at downtown Tampa,
we looked at Sarasota. St.
Pete was just humming. We
could tell.
“When we opened this bar
there was nothing here – a
few places here, a few there
– now you can’t walk three
feet without bumping into a
restaurant or a bar.”
Concurrently, the publishing
business was feeling the heat
of the national recession; the
book-business model was
changing. Random House did
not renew her contract.
Birth of Wine Madonna
From its opening day in 2010,
Wine Madonna was also a
literary hub. The literature
group Wordier Than Thou is
based out of the bar, which is
also ground zero for Radish’s
annual literary retreats.
“I always say that Wine
Madonna is a social service
agency that sells wine,” she
claims. “I talk with people all
the time who are interested
in writing, and want to write
books. I’m honest, but I never
want to discourage anyone.
If that’s what your passion is,
then you have to do it.”

Radish herself has “never
stopped writing. And I’ve
written four or ﬁve books
since I’ve been here.” She
publishes through SparkPress.
Both of her now-adult
children eventually moved
to the bay area, and both
worked at Wine Madonna.
Radish and Metcalf were
legally married last March.
Radish’s next projects –
two novels and another
work of non-ﬁction – are in
various stages, in between
conception and completion.
And she’s getting that old
journalist itch back again.
Coming soon is a redesigned
website and a return to
news blogging, reporting
and commentating. Today’s
news just plain bugs her. “As
someone who was a working
journalist, who prided herself
on accuracy, who would go
to her death to protect the
written word and truth, I’m
depressed every day,” she
says.
So Kris Radish continues
to see every new day as a
challenge, which she thrives
on. “Some people are really
terriﬁed of change,” she says.
“I embrace it.”
Wine Madonna is located
at 111 2nd Avenue NE, St.
Petersburg (727) 289-7257
Kris Radish’s website can be
found at:
www.krisradish.com
Content for this story was
provided by the Catalyst,
St. Pete’s daily business
platform. Subscribe for free at
StPeteCatalyst.com.

Tasty regional styles of ‘cue and a fun
atmosphere make Dr. BBQ a downtown hit

PHOTOS /ST. PETERSBURG FOODIES.COM

BY KEVIN GODBEE
“Yeah. I’ve heard that name before.”
That was my ﬁrst thought a couple of years ago when we caught
wind of a new restaurant coming to town via the Datz Restaurant
Group from Tampa. Admittedly, even though I hadn’t previously
watched any full shows with Ray Lampe aka Dr. BBQ, the name
recognition was there, plus it’s coming from Datz.
The Doc has traveled all over the country and won over 400
barbecue competitions, and the Datz Restaurant Group has
amazing restaurants in Tampa, so I ﬁgured this has to be a winning
combination. So, there’s Dr. BBQ, the dude, and Dr. BBQ, the
restaurant. You can see the
dude at the restaurant quite
frequently, where he is more the
baby kisser and palm presser
persona, but don’t let that fool
you.
Lampe can cook, and it goes
beyond barbecue. He has seven
cookbooks, plus a “road trip”
guidebook to barbecue places
around the country. He’s earned
the right to not have to sweat
it out with the smoker all day.
Roger and Suzanne Perry, the
husband-wife team behind Datz,
not only recruited Ray Lampe,
but also Texan Lee Jasper to be

38

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January/February 2019

the Pitmaster at Dr. BBQ. Lee has been smoking meats for 12 years
working at the famous Kreuz Market in Texas.
The space is pretty epic. It used to be a steel fabricating plant, so it
is pretty industrialist, but with a warm homey feel. There’s an inside
bar downstairs, and an outside bar and deck upstairs. This is an
excellent restaurant experience in a cool, large space where you can
get your foodie freak on.
Dr. BBQ doesn’t adhere to one strict style of barbecue. There are
several clearly deﬁned barbecue styles: the Carolinas, Kansas City,
Memphis, and Texas. There are also regional variations within
those. For some serious regional
barbecue connoisseurs, it goes
beyond the food, and traverses
into a subculture of sometimes
rigid, and competing regional
guidelines.
The St. Louis Ribs with Jack
Daniels Baked Beans is fantastic
and Certiﬁed Angus Beef®. The
beans are made with Northern,
pinto, and black beans with
pork, in Jack Daniel’s BBQ
sauce. The Jalapeño Cheddar
Sausages, which I loved, come
from Southside Market in Elgin,
TX. The pastrami is house-cured
and smoked and is also Certiﬁed

DINING OUT

Epic Peanut Butter Pie

Sliced brisket with french fries and purple slaw
Angus Beef® as is all of the beef including the Sliced Brisket, which
is Lori’s favorite.

The doctor is in, and he awaits your hungry belly!
Kevin Godbee and Lori Brown write about the local food scene at
stpetersburgfoodies.com, where you can check out their weekly
podcast featuring local movers and shakers in the food and restaurant
industry.

Elevating Valet Services
Courteous • Cautious • Prompt

#BeSelect

St. Pete’s Best In Class Valet Service • Where You Need It • When You Need It

Romantic Restaurants
Wondering where to take your honey for a lovely little Valentine’s Day dinner? These
suggestions come from Kevin Godbee and Lori Brown of StPetersburgFoodies.com.
All are in St. Pete unless otherwise noted:
Grace Restaurant, Pass-a-Grille
Ceviche
Gratzzi Italian Grille

A few romantic faves of St. Pete Life editor Marcia Biggs include Left Bank Bistro,
Marchand’s at the Vinoy, and Birch & Vine. On the beach, you can’t beat Caretta on the Gulf
at the Sandpearl Resort and Sea-Guini at Opal Sands for ﬁne dining with a seaside view.
PHOTO/STPETERSBURGFOODIES.COM

Let us count the ways to woo a date in the intimate setting of Annata on Beach Drive.

Kick oﬀ your Sunday at the light-ﬁlled Cafe
Gala at the Dali Museum with a Catalaninspired brunch of small plates and tapas from
11 am to 2 pm. Chef Chuck Bandel creates
specialty items based on seasonal ingredients,
so each week’s menu varies but recent
selections included Jamon & Poached Egg,
Gazpacho, Avocado Toast and Farmhouse
Tortilla ($7 to $11). Sip on a specialty cocktail
such Cava Mimosa ($6.50), Aqua de Barcelona
($8), Spanish Sangria (red or white) ($6.50),
or Basque Cider ($8). Add on a visit to see the
museum’s current Magritte & Dali exhibit and
you have the perfect Sunday date.

ALREADY GIVEN UP ON YOUR RESOLUTION?
We’ll Help You Get Back On Track!
“I would plateau on other diets and then usually quit.
With ITG, that didn’t happen!”
At the age of 61, my goal was to be at a healthy
weight so I could be active and not rely on my
cholesterol and blood pressure medications. I had
a pretty high weight loss goal, about 90 pounds,
so I knew it would take some time. The coaches at
Slim Down St Pete were awesome! They were very
helpful keeping me on track. I knew I couldn’t do
this alone. I followed everything my coaches told me
and every week I lost weight, for 10 months! The
encouragement and advice I got from Slim Down,

along with the way they treat everyone like family,
makes the dieting process so much easier! They gave
me so many recipe ideas and food choices to help me
make it through. I am now more active. I can go for
a walk or go roller-skating and I feel good about the
way I look in my clothes. Because of Slim Down, I no
longer need my cholesterol medication and my blood
pressure medication has been cut in half! My doctor
was amazed at my dedication and my weight loss and
hopes the next time I visit my blood pressure pills can
go away completely. The ITG Diet Plan made all this
possible for me. Thank You! - JoAnn

Small Bites
South American steakhouse Renzo’s
has opened at 104 2nd Street S., in the
space formerly occupied by Z Grille. With
two locations in Tampa, the restaurant
features Argentinian-style grilled meats
and an extensive wine collection with
many South American varietals.
Look for St. Pete’s newest bakery
at 1113 Central Avenue inside Baum
Avenue Market, which also houses
two other food concepts — Serene and
Avocado Valley. Serene is a wellness bar
featuring smoothies, smoothie bowls,
and wellness lattes. Avocado Valley is
a Mediterranean and Middle Easterninﬂuenced eatery focusing on fresh
healthful ingredients.
Five local restaurateurs have joined
forces to open a new waterfront dining
venture soon. Jon LaBudde, Pete Boland,
Larry Munch, Ian Taylor and Mario Farias
are hard at work recreating the recentlyclosed Fish Tales at Harborage Marina
into Big Catch at Salt Creek. “We
envision a place that’s sort of ﬂip-ﬂop

fabulous. You can come here dressed
whatever way you want,” Farias told
St. Pete Catalyst. Harborage is installing
additional dockage to allow greater
restaurant access for boating customers.
Stay tuned for an opening date.
Il Ritorno fans are rejoicing. The Italian
favorite at 449 Central Ave. is now
open for Sunday dining starting at 5 pm
(except on SuperBowl Sunday, sorry
fans).
Eco-friendly Kahwa Coﬀee co-owner
Raphael Perrier has been on the love list
lately with the city, so much that his St.
Pete coﬀee shop was the designated
meeting spot for a morning confab
between Mayor Rick Kriseman and
former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg
on January 3 just before they announced
a $2.5 million grant would be bestowed
on the city by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Kahwa has long supported green and
sustainable practices, encouraging
customers to even bring their own cups.

Take a taste trip around the world at the
delightful new Bacchus gourmet market
which recently opened at 124 2nd Avenue
NE. The long-awaited brainchild of Anais and
Christophe Guillot oﬀers a dizzying array
of wines, cheeses, beer, charcuterie, jams
and honey, artisanal oils and vinegars, and
other delicacies from France, Spain, Italy,
Argentina, Belgium and elsewhere. Even
better, small plates and wines are available
for nibbles and sips for those who just can’t
tear themselves away. Who can’t resist this
kind of French charm?

Half Page Ad

January/February 2019

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DINING OUT

The Peabody

Lunch at this upscale new dining spot
is an inspiration to return for dinner

BY LORI BROWN
From the minute you walk through the doors of The Peabody, you
feel transported back in time. A serene setting of tables within an
old-fashioned library surrounding a bar. All of this located in the
complex of the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. The restaurant
is not located inside the hospital. Its main entrance is located on 6th
Avenue South, next door to the new research institute. Once you
are inside, you would never know that a hospital is near.
The restaurant is brought to us by the owners of Tampa’s revered
Oxford Exchange. The inspiration behind The Peabody is simply
stated on their website, “George Peabody believed in the power
and importance of education in the lives of others. One of his many
legacies is The George Peabody Library, an institute he built for, and
dedicated to, the citizens of Baltimore in 1857.”
Over three visits, we noted that the menu appeared more to be
catered towards a lunch crowd rather than dinner, as there were not
many entrees on the menu, mostly salads and sandwiches. That has
since changed and they now oﬀer a separate dinner menu which
oﬀers more suitable evening entree options.
On the ﬁrst visit, I immediately gravitated to the Steak Sandwich
made with shaved sirloin, roasted peppers, cheese, crispy onions
and the secret Peabody sauce. The steak sandwich itself was loaded
with ﬂavor and the peppers added just a bit of spice, texture and
zippiness to the proﬁle. The crispy onions are a great touch with
their texture and the steak was obviously a good quality.
All sandwiches are served with their house-made chips, but you
can opt for fries instead for an upcharge. I did opt for fries and I am
so glad that I did. I dub them as crack fries. They were obviously
house-cut and seasoned and I ate every last one of them.

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Kevin opted for the Burger on one visit and the Blackened Fish Tacos
on another. The burger was outstanding in my book, made with
double patties and served with white American cheese, lettuce,
tomato and the Peabody sauce. The tacos are served with chili
glaze, kale slaw, pico, feta and cumin aioli on a tortilla and served
with fries. Kevin proclaimed them some of the best ﬁsh tacos - the
grouper was moist, plump, juicy, and bursting with ﬂavor. He also
enjoyed the Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich made with arugula,
tomatoes, Pistachios and dried cherries.
We tried the Grouper Bites appetizer which are served with key lime
aioli and fresno chile. These are simple yet complex at the same
time. Squeeze the lime over them to add some citrus brightness,
combined with the aioli, the bite of the chiles and the freshness of
the grouper, this appetizer is a clear winner.
The Grilled Cheese Sandwich is made with provonello, Burrata,
bacon and spicy tomato aioli served on a grilled red pepper
sourdough bread. The ﬂavors were spot on, but I thought it odd to
grill burrata cheese and it was quite messy to eat. Kevin ordered
the Club Sandwich made with ham, turkey, Gruyere, bacon, tomato,
bibb lettuce, avocado and garlic aioli. It was delicious.
As mentioned earlier, The Peabody now oﬀers a dinner menu, which
features some of the lunch selections but more entrees that weren’t
oﬀered before such as Roasted Chicken, Spaghetti Bolognese,
Grilled Salmon and Filet Mignon.
We will deﬁnitely be back for dinner. If what we experienced in
three lunch visits is any indication, then dinner will be spot on.
Lori Brown and Kevin Godbee write about the local food scene at
stpetersburgfoodies.com.

SPL EVENTS

Let the Sunshine In
The Sunshine City Film Festival is back for an entire week this year from
January 14-21, celebrating the independent ﬁlm industry with events
including workshops, panel discussions, evening social networking mixers,
and more all geared to newbie and professional ﬁlmmakers, actors, writers,
directors and producers. Screenings take place at the Sundial AMC20.
A highlight event promises to be Ladies in Film & Entertainment on
January 15 at 7 pm at The Palladium, celebrating the works of the top
women in ﬁlm and entertainment from around Tampa Bay and beyond.
The Festival Kick-Oﬀ Party takes place at 7 pm Friday, January 18,
at NEO Soul Café, 1742 Central Ave. For a complete schedule, go to
sunshinecityﬁlmfestival.com

Artistic director Mark Sforzini brings a ﬁne cast to Kiss Me, Kate February
2-10 at The Palladium. A Shakespeare troupe is putting on The Taming
of the Shrew, but the cast is embroiled in interpersonal relationships
that lead to oﬀstage bickering and onstage surprises. Cole Porter’s
score, performed with the original-size Broadway orchestra, is ﬁlled
with great numbers such as So In Love, Too Darn Hot, Why Can’t You
Behave?, and Brush Up Your Shakespeare. Michael Kelly stars as Fred/
Petruchio and Michele Sexton is Lilli/Kate in this rollicking evening of
comedy and song. Tickets available only through St. Petersburg Opera
Company; call (727) 823-2040.

Jazz Fest is Back
The St. Petersburg Jazz Festival oﬀers up ﬁve
evenings of cool sounds in an intimate setting at
The Palladium’s Side Door February 27-March
3. Produced by David Manson, the 11th annual
Jazz Fest will present multi-instrumentalist singer
Valerie Gillespie and ensemble (Feb. 27), Alexis
Cole and the Helios Jazz Orchestra (March 2),
Remembering Sam Rivers - a tribute to jazz legend
Sam Rivers (Feb. 28), jazz ﬂutist Nestor Torres with
his quartet (March 1), and the Martin Bejerano
Trio performing his Chamber Music America
commission (March 3). Tickets $25/$35 with ﬁveconcert ticket package $100/$125. For information
on times and tickets, check out mypalladium.org.

Fun and music will ﬁll the ‘Burg January 20-21 with festivities celebrating Martin
Luther King Day. Battle of the Bands kicks oﬀ the weekend Jan. 20 from 5 to
9 pm at Al Lang Stadium. The big event, the MLK Dream Big Parade starts at
11 am on Jan. 21 at 3rd Street and 1st Avenue S. followed by Family Fun Day at
Tropicana Field from 2-6 pm.

The St. Petersburg City Council passed an
ordinance that will signiﬁcantly reduce
the use of single-use plastic straws and
expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam) in the
city when it takes eﬀect in 2020. “This is
a great step forward in St. Petersburg’s
eﬀorts to protect our precious coastal
community,” said St. Petersburg City
Council Member Gina Driscoll. “This
small change will make a big diﬀerence
when everyone is participating.”
The council voted 5-2 to move forward
with an ordinance banning the use of
foam on city property and restricting

Park & Plug Coming

single-use plastic straws. St. Pete joins a
growing list of local governments, entire
countries and major corporations who
have committed to eliminating singleuse plastics.
Here in Tampa Bay, restaurants and
businesses are joining the national
movement away from single-use
plastics. The Suncoast Rise Above
Plastics Coalition certiﬁes these
restaurants as “ocean friendly.” To ﬁnd
a list of local restaurants in the program,
go to www.suncoast-rap.org and click on
Ocean Friendly Program.

If you own an electric vehicle you’ll soon
have more places to recharge in the ‘Burg.
The City of St. Petersburg has announced
it will join Duke Energy’s Park and Plug
– a pilot program that will install more
EV charging stations. “I’m excited about
the opportunities the Park and Plug pilot
program will provide for St. Petersburg
residents and visitors,” said Catherine
Stempien, Duke Energy Florida president.
In addition, Duke will be funding the initial
charging infrastructure for Pinellas Suncoast
Transit Authority’s electric buses and a
solar installment at The Pier. Once station
locations have been selected, the City will
work directly with NovaCHARGE LLC, a
leading national EV charging solutions
provider selected by Duke Energy, on
equipment installation.

Experience Paris, Circa 1920ʼs, In The Heart of St. Petersburg
French Style Fare • Full Bar • Craft Cocktails • Great Wine Selection

Visit our sister business,
Market at Left Bank, just
across the parking lot.

Home Decor, Gifts,
Antiques, Local
Makers, Art & Fashion.

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FASHION

Stylish Burger
Paul Swaine
BY MICHELLE BOUDREAU
While enjoying a bite to eat at St.
Pete’s trendy Sundial, I noticed a
gentleman walk in and I couldn’t help
but notice his sense of style. He caught
my eye with his haircut (a young Paul
McCartney), impeccable grooming
head to toe, and great smile. When I
struck up a conversation, I noticed a
bit of an accent and when asked where
he was from, he responded Ireland.
Curious as to what would bring
someone so stylish from Ireland
to St. Petersburg, I continued our
conversation. Paul Swaine now has
roots in the ‘Burg and oﬀers personal
ballroom dance instruction. He loves
the direction the city has taken in the
past few years with ﬁne dining, luxury
condos, theaters, museums, along
with shops and boutiques. Compared
to his favorite world-class cities such
as London, New York and Los Angeles,
he thinks St. Pete is much more
personable, condensed, and oﬀers an
easier, walkable lifestyle without being
too crowded.
What brought you to the United States
and St. Pete?
Living in Ireland, I won several awards
as a world-class competitive dancer, the
natural career evolution is to become an
instructor. Nine years ago, Fred Astaire
International recruited me to Boston, a
few years later Arthur Murray recruited
me to St. Pete, and I have been here for
the past seven years. I took my passion
and hobby to an entirely new level, I
turned it into a career and business.
America is fantastic for creating new
business.
When did you start dancing?
I was seven years old and while traveling
to a resort with family I saw a dance
competition. I fell in love with dance,
upon returning home the next week I
was enrolled in dance lessons. I never
looked back, I worked hard to become a
world-class competitive dancer, winning

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several awards and accolades
over my career. One of the
biggest highlights of my career
was competing in the European
Championship at the Royal Albert
Hall in London. The top couple from
each country is chosen to represent
each country, I was chosen to
represent Ireland.
What is your personal style?
Dance is all about fashion, because
you have to create an image on
the dance ﬂoor. You ask yourself,
what image do I want to project,
and how will I stand out as unique
to the judges. You must stand out
to win with image and dance. My
favorite designer is Armani, I also
like Dolce Gabbana and you can’t
beat the cut of a Tom Ford jacket.
Shoes - Kurt Geiger and Christian
Louboutain. My favorite place to
shop for fashion in downtown St.
Pete is Jackie Z’s in Sundial.
What have you learned from your
dance career?
Dance oﬀers a full life makeover at
times. I remember a woman around
58 years young, she was overweight,
gray hair and in a rut in her life. After
dancing with me for three years,
she lost 50 pounds, colored her hair,
changed her wardrobe and makeup,
she began to dance in championship
competitions. We completely
transformed her life with the
suggestions I had made along the way.
Dance is a super conﬁdence builder.
My current passion is using dancing
lessons as a vehicle to turn my client’s
life around and give them more
conﬁdence. They can go back out into
the world with conﬁdence after raising
their kids for years, perhaps after a
deceased spouse or a divorce.
Paul Swaine can be reached at
(727) 226-3720.

ARTS & CULTURE

Hearts in the Arts
Two creative couples choose the ‘Burg
to make their dreams ﬂourish
BY CINDY STOVALL

As Valentine’s Day approaches, it’s only natural for our thoughts
to wander into romantic territory. Of course, love and romance
mean diﬀerent things to diﬀerent people. It could involve
commemorating a wedding, ﬁrst date or ﬁrst kiss. It could be a
celebration of love for family, children, or close friends. Perhaps it
could be love on a much grander scale - in the case of our beautiful
Sunshine City, it is an ongoing love aﬀair with the arts.

proclaimed it as a city for the arts upon incorporation in 1903.
The new millennium has seen the cultural life of St. Petersburg
explode onto international “best of” lists, and so it would seem, the
secret is out. The gig is up, along with the rents. Not only has art
bolstered St. Pete as a tourist destination, our city has become the
home of some of the most talented creatives in the world - artists of
all genres who fell in love with St. Pete, too.

We commonly think of the St. Pete arts origins as synonymous with
the building of the Museum of Fine Arts in the ‘60’s, and by the
opening of the Dali Museum in the ‘80’s. But the truth is, St. Pete
started its love aﬀair with art well over a century ago when founders

It got me wondering about the love stories in St. Pete’s arts
community - couples in which both partners are involved with
creating, facilitating, or promoting the arts. Though there are many
stories to tell, here are two of my favorites for your romantic souls.

Yann & Susana Weymouth
Yann and Susana Weymouth represent an ideal of love and
partnership that we all aspire to. Their story is one of enviable
devotion and mutual respect achieved while navigating two highly
successful careers over three decades. Here in St. Petersburg, Yann
is the architect responsible for the Hazel Hough Wing expansion at
the Museum of Fine Arts.
He also designed our very own surreal palace, the Dali Museum,
one of St. Pete’s most recognizable landmarks. The Dali’s hallmark
emerging glass bubble known as “the enigma” represents a true
marriage of engineering and artistic expression. Once seen, you
simply never forget it.
That seems to be a theme for Yann as, most recently, he was
the architect responsible for the stunning James Museum of
Western & Wildlife Art. This three-story structure appears to us
as a sort of naturally chiseled terracotta monolith jutting out of
the earth, perfectly capturing the Southwest vibe that houses
the extraordinary Western art collection of Tom and Mary James.
(Interesting side note: Yann’s sister, Tina Weymouth, was a
founding member and long-time bassist for the Talking Heads and
subsequently Tom Tom Club. She has been inducted into the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame.)
Susana is the executive director of Tampa Bay Businesses for
Culture and the Arts or TBBCA for short. This not-for-proﬁt
organization facilitates partnerships between the business and
arts communities. It’s a creative and, as it turns out, essential
approach to common sense arts subsidies for scholarships provided
by businesses that wish to be known for their involvement in, and
support of, the arts community. TBBCA hosts a number of very

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successful events such as their monthly “Cultural Encounters”
held at venues throughout the Tampa Bay area, and the very well
attended annual “Impact Awards,” to name just two.
Their love story began far from here and half a world away from
each other. Yann grew up a Navy brat and lived all over the world.

ARTS & CULTURE
He attended Harvard and MIT and by the late ‘80’s he was living in
Paris and working for world renowned architect I.M. Pei as the chief
of design on the Grand Louvre Project, the glass pyramid structure
with subterranean lobby that now marks the entrance to one of the
world’s most famous museums. (Yes, he did that too!)
Susana, a graduate of Georgetown University, worked as an
executive traveling between New York and her home in Beijing.

was commissioned to design the Hough wing and the Dali. But we
found an amazing community full of talented artists and beautiful
surroundings. Susana adds, “How could we NOT want to live here!”
Even as they speak of it now, each beam over the memory. All their
recollections are peppered with compliments, made in earnest,
and sincere admiration for each other even after 30 years. “He’s the
most incredible person I have ever met,” Susana says. “And that’s
saying something.” “Susana is brilliant, accomplished, and she’s
been my muse for 30 years,” replies Yann.
It is very clear that they are as much in love now as they were then,
perhaps more so.
Eugenie Bondurant and Paul Wilborn
Paul and Eugenie are one of the best known and, I think I can say
this without contradiction, best loved couples in St. Pete. Paul, a
Tampa native, was a news journalist for the Associated Press, the
Tampa Tribune and St. Petersburg Times, and a screenwriter in a
former life, but he now presides over all things stage worthy as the
executive director of the Palladium Theater. He is also a proliﬁc
musician, regularly performing his American Songbook, a series
of cabaret style concerts with his striking better half. These days,
Paul conﬁnes his writing primarily to theater blogging and hilarious
scripts for Radio Theatre Project, a very popular monthly series of
staged old timey radio style readings at the Studio @620. He and
Eugenie are regular and highly popular participants.

Through business, she became acquainted with Pei’s son Chien
Chung (Didi), and he informed her one day that he had “the perfect
man for her - a Franco American” working for his father in Paris. It
wasn’t long before Didi got to Yann as well, telling him “I have the
perfect woman for you. She’s brilliant, Cuban, beautiful.” Of course,
the one ﬂy in the ointment was that she lived in China!
Neither was especially interested at that time. Yann had been
previously married to the daughter of publisher Katherine Graham.
The marriage ended in the ‘70’s and he was not particularly
interested in a serious relationship. Susana was content with her
career and had no plans to move.
But, as fate would have it, Yann and Susana found themselves in
New York at the same time with a 48-hour overlap. Chaperoned
by their mutual friend, Didi, they went to a Mark Rothko exhibit
at MOMA and the dye was cast. “As soon as he began speaking
about Rothko,” Susana smiles, “the imagery and magic of his words
made me see the work in a way I never had before. He was brilliant,
insightful, captivating. I knew right there and then.”
Yann’s experience was similar. “ I knew the ﬁrst second,” he says.
“Our real love story began over art.” They talked late into the night
and by 4 am, Didi knew his services were no longer required. Yann
proposed two months later, and Susana moved to Paris. I asked
how they came to be here in St. Pete and Yann said, “After moving
to London and then back to the USA, we came here in 2001 when I

Eugenie, long and lean with undeniable star presence, is the ‘Burg’s
resident movie star. Featured as “Tigris” in one of the “Hunger
Games” ﬁlms, Eugenie has also had a busy career on the stage and
TV. She has a million stories, but I love the one about how she found

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ARTS & CULTURE
Paul and Eugenie’s love story begins across the country in Los
Angeles. Paul was covering the Winona Ryder shoplifting scandal
for AP and had just sold a screenplay. As a result, he was invited to
a book release party at the Napa Valley Bar & Grille in Westwood
where many movie premiers take place. Eugenie was promoting a
small indie ﬁlm she was starring in, “Donald and Dot Clock Found
Dead in Their Home.” No, I’m not kidding. She just happened to be
invited to the same party, and though she was hesitant to attend
yet another “industry” party, the producer told her they would
make contact with a well-known PR representative who might help
promote the movie pro bono.
Paul recounts, “from across the room, I see this tall, beautiful
woman enter the party.” Eugenie interjects, “It was like the
song, Some Enchanted Evening.” Paul walked across the room to
introduce himself and recalls Eugenie’s ﬁrst words to him were, “I’m
Eugenie Bondurant and I’m moving to New Orleans.” As it turns
out, she was planning to return to her hometown in the next month.
Eugenie had had enough of LA and wasn’t looking for any emotional
entanglements. Paul, very familiar with NOLA and unwilling to
be discouraged, saw his opportunity and engaged Eugenie in
conversation about the Crescent City she loved. He ended up getting
her card, something very unusual for a well brought up Southern
girl.
After a few dates - drinks, a movie, dinner, Paul knew Eugenie was
something special but what about the impending move? It was too
soon to make any real commitments, so Paul brilliantly suggested
Eugenie give him “just three months.” Eugenie did not move home.
She recalls, “when someone sees you at your worst and helps you
paint your duplex with underwear on his head, you know you’ve got
a keeper.”
When Paul’s friend Pam Iorio became Mayor of Tampa, he had an
opportunity to be part of the administration. Now He was the one
leaving and needed a place to stay after giving up his apartment.
Once again, calling upon her Southern upbringing, Eugenie made
it clear that she would not live with Paul unless they were engaged.
And so it was. The pair moved to Tampa together and married in
2004. They love performing together and never seem to tire of each
other’s company after 14 years. Paul smiles, looks at his wife and
says, “If anything, we look for opportunities to spend even more
time together.”

A TRUE
herself in a leather bustier in a “Wayne’s World” skit on Saturday
Night Live with Mike Meyers, Dana Carvey, and Madonna. Eugenie
is a Screen Actor’s Guild member and shares her love of acting
as an instructor for Andi Matheny Acting Studios and the Patel
Conservatory. Worth mentioning is the fact that, talent aside, she is
one of the kindest, loveliest people I have met in my 28 years in this
community.

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love story

NEVER ENDS

USFSP NEWS

USFSP Honors
Business Leadership Training
USF St. Petersburg’s
Bishop Center for
Ethical Leadership will
begin oﬀering courses
in corporate training
and professional
development. With a suite of classes in topics
like human resource management, project
management and organization development,
the training program is geared towards
business professionals who want to cultivate
their leadership and managerial skills, while
advancing their careers.

Although USF Tampa has oﬀered continuing
education courses for more than 20 years, the
program was revamped a few years ago to
put more emphasis on corporate training and
professional development.
The programs being oﬀered include an Elite
People Manager Certiﬁcate; Human Resource
Management; Organization Development and
Leadership Certiﬁcate; Process Improvement;
Project Management; and 5G Power Skills
Certiﬁcate, which focuses on managing
multiple generations in the workforce.
Learn more at the www.usfsp/bishop

Express your individuality.

“The Bishop Center has been looking to
establish an external facing leadership program
for a while,” said David O’ Neill, Assistant
Director of the Bishop Center. By partnering
with USF Tampa’s Oﬃce of Corporate Training
and Professional Development, O’Neill said
they’ve been able to accelerate the program’s

development, adopting
and adapting courses to
ﬁt USFSP’s interest in
leadership for working
professionals.

The University of South Florida
St. Petersburg bestowed
an honorary doctorate
to businesswoman and
local philanthropist Kate
Tiedemann. Tiedemann
was awarded an honorary
doctor of business degree at a
graduation ceremony on Dec.
9 at the Mahaﬀey Theater,
where graduates of the Kate
Tiedemann College of Business
and College of Education
received their diplomas. Bill
Edwards, chairman of the
Edwards Group, was presented
with the Chancellor’s
Community Leadership Award.
Edwards was recognized
for providing resources for
schoolchildren and others
through the charitable
foundation he created 15 years
ago, The Edwards Family
Foundation.

Half Page Ad

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Latest casual to evening fashions & jewelry by
American European designers.

As Valentine’s day approaches, there are plenty of
activities ﬁlled with love and beauty to share with the
special people in your heart. Here are just a few for your
consideration. Please don’t forget to catch my arts and
culture podcast, Beauty & The ‘Burg on the Helium Radio
Network at www.heliumradio.com
BY CINDY STOVALL

On Stage

Museum Happenings

freeFall Theatre Company presents “Perfect Arrangement.”
Based on a true story, this mid-century period piece is Topher
Payne’s smart and stylish comedy that examines relationships,
love, and marriage through the lens of the earliest stirrings of
the Gay Rights Movement. Runs through February 24.
www.freefalltheatre.com

There is still time to catch the fascinating industrial exhibit
Norwood Viviano: Postindustrial at the Chihuly Collection. Handblown depictions of America’s industrial cities will evoke wonder
and make you think about the impact of progress on humanity.
Runs through February 28. www.moreanartscenter.org

Critically acclaimed
playwright
Dominique
Morisseau
authored the
latest, thoughtprovoking
production in
American Stage’s
2019 season.
“Pipeline” is a
timely piece that
explores the
conﬂict between
love of community
vs. love of family.
The challenges
of inner-city life,
education, and
opportunity are
thoughtfully brought to life, giving us all some insight and a lot
to think about. Runs through February 24.
www.americanstage.org
The Palladium brings back, for a 5th season, its classical
chamber music series The Palladium Players. Gaining in
popularity each year, monthly concerts are performed
on Wednesdays through April. This quartet of master
musicians is led by virtuoso violinist Jeﬀrey Multer with
Danielle Farina on viola, Edward Arron on cello, and
Jeewon Park on piano. World-class music performed right
here in St. Pete rivals chamber concerts anywhere in the
world! It’s simply a perfect night out. Upcoming dates
are: Feb. 13, March 6 and April 17. www.mypalladium.org

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The Museum of
Fine Arts really
shines, literally
and ﬁguratively,
with exquisite
dual exhibits
featuring iconic
jewels and other
art designed by
the incomparable
Jean
Schlumberger.
Look for a review of Jewels of the Imagination and Drawn to
Beauty in this issue. Also, check out the Beauty & The ’Burg
podcast featuring the team responsible for this truly spectacular
pair of exhibits. www.lirpodcasts.com www.mfastpete.org
The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art continues the
wildly popular James Michaels: An American Pop Life. Michaels,
a Tampa Bay artist, exhibits his work in Pop Expressionism
and Painterly Realism. Inspired by popular culture, childhood
memories, and life experiences, Michaels’ colorful canvases
feature art history references alongside depictions of classic toys
and cartoons. It is something very special. Runs through March 3.
www.thejamesmuseum.org
The Dali Museum proudly presents Magritte & Dali - a side
by side comparative study of two of the 20th century’s most
consequential Surrealists. Look for the review in this issue.
www.thedali.org

Gallery & Alternative
The Beth-El Art Festival is celebrating its 46th year! This
mainstay arts event is always highly anticipated and features

ARTS & CULTURE

®

work from some of the area’s most talented artisans. Painting,
photography, mixed media, glass, sculpture, metal, wood,
ceramics, and jewelry provide a feast for your post-holiday
eyes. There are also wonderful events associated with the
festival including entertainment, a luncheon and docent
tours. Admission is free and you’re sure to ﬁnd something you
absolutely can’t live without. January 26-28
www.artfestivalbethel.com
The 4th Annual Gulfport Fine Arts Festival returns to Veteran’s
Park this year with an always wide array of beautiful artwork
in every conceivable medium. Gulfport’s colorful and relaxed
Key West vibe is the perfect backdrop to a day of perusing,
eating, and hanging out with friends and family. Admission is
free. February 9-10 www.sikpromotions.com/applicants/winter/
gulfport-ﬁne-art-festival
Localtopia 2019, “A Community Celebration of All Things
Local,” returns to downtown’s Williams Park for its 6th year.
This festival celebrates and showcases every aspect of the
‘Burg’s business community. Themed “villages” divide arts, food,
networking, music, family activities, and so much more. A full
day of shopping, eating, and fun await you and those you love at
Localtopia. It’s the quintessential celebration of St. Pete.
www.localtopia.keepstpetersburglocal.org
When you visit Duke Energy Center for the Arts-The Mahaﬀey
Theater, you’ll notice an exciting new addition. The Galleria
Misto has opened its second location (the original is in Belleair
Bluﬀs), right inside the theater to add to your overall experience.
Open to patrons during all shows, the gallery is located on the
second ﬂoor and features the ﬁne artwork, in multiple mediums,
of artists both local and international. The opening exhibit
‘”Inception of Creation” is on display now.
www.galleriamisto.com
Until text time …
Cindy Stovall’s Beauty & the ‘Burg podcast covering the arts in
St. Petersburg airs on Wednesdays at 6 pm at heliumradio.com.
Archives of previous shows are available.

Jewels of the Imagination
One of the world’s most beautiful and extensive
collections of jewelry comes to the Museum of Fine Arts
PHOTOS/MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS ST. PETERSBURG

BY MARCIA BIGGS
When independent, jet-setting women of the 1960s and ‘70s wanted
to sparkle a little brighter, they frequently turned to renowned
French jewelry designer Jean Schlumberger. Best known for his work
for Tiﬀany & Co., Schlumberger was a master at using the beauty of
the natural world as inspiration for creating unique, brightly colored
works of jeweled art that were both elegant and whimsical.

Jean Schlumberger’s spectacular creations rank him among the
most inﬂuential and innovative jewelry designers of the 20th
century. The artist started his career designing for the famed fashion
designer Elsa Schiaparelli, before heading his own salon at Tiﬀany
& Co. His work was avant-garde and Surrealist, drawing inspiration
from the natural world and such exotic locales as Bali, India and

Thailand. Schlumberger’s lively, experimental designs graced the
necks, wrists and lapels of style icons of the era like Jacqueline
Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, Diana Vreeland, Elizabeth Taylor and
Bunny Mellon. More than 30 years after Schlumberger’s death in
1987, Tiﬀany & Co. still carries his designs.
After premiering at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts last year,
Jewels of the Imagination: Radiant Masterworks by Jean Schlumberger
from the Mellon Collection brings more than 150 priceless pieces
of jewelry and objets d’art to the Museum of Fine Arts. Visitors
should prepare themselves for a dazzling experience. It’s a visual
blockbuster, so stunning that a dimly lit “recovery room” complete
with plush lounge chairs has been added for those who are literally
knocked oﬀ their feet.
What makes this show so spectacular is that it’s a double exhibit,
basically two breathtaking collections in one. Visitors enter ﬁrst
through a companion exhibition, Drawn to Beauty: The Art and
Atelier of Jean Schlumberger, created by curators at the MFA to
explore Schlumberger’s process as an artist and designer. Here
we see jewelry, sketches, photographs, objets d’art and personal
items belonging to the artist. It’s the perfect introduction to
Schlumberger, and sets the stage for the grand collection to follow.
The main exhibit, Jewels of the Imagination, highlights spectacular
pieces from the personal collection of philanthropist and art
collector Rachel “Bunny” Mellon. It is presented in the context of
four “seasons” or galleries representing the four seasons of Mrs.
Mellon’s palatial gardens at her estate in Virginia. An avid gardener,
Bunny Melon delighted in the beauty of nature and surrounded

herself in it. Nationally renowned designer Rush Jenkins of WRJ
Interior Design, who has designed more than 40 exhibitions for
Sotheby’s New York, created the dreamlike spaces.
Bunny Mellon’s extensive collection of Schlumberger pieces is the
largest, most comprehensive public collection of his work in the
world. It was donated to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts between
1985 and 2015. No value has been publicly announced on this
collection, a museum representative relayed, but we can only guess
it’s beyond imagination (pun intended.)
Mrs. Mellon’s love of gardening inspired many of Schlumberger’s
botanical jewelry pieces, such as Flower Pot (Pot de ﬂeurs), 1960,
an ornate ﬂowering plant emerging from a tiny terracotta pot,
encrusted with emeralds and diamonds, with an amethyst ﬂower
bursting with gold petals. Another famous piece, Jellyﬁsh, 1967, is
a brooch that ﬂoats mysteriously on the wearer’s lapel, with a body
of moonstones, and dynamic tentacles made of diamonds and
sapphires appearing to move through ﬂowing lines. But the exhibit
oﬀers much than jewelry. Tabletop sculptures of gold and precious
jewels, lapis and gold cigarette cases, bejeweled urns candlesticks
and much more bring a world of impossible beauty to our eyes.
Jewels of the Imagination is presented by Sabal Trust and organized
by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. It will be on view through March
31, 2019. Drawn to Beauty will be closing a few weeks earlier on
March 10. The Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg is located at 255
Beach Drive NE, St. Petersburg. For hours and ticket information, go to
mfastpete.org or call (727) 896-2667

Magritte’s cloud-ﬁlled blue sky screen room oﬀers an immersive experience at the end of the exhibit.
BY MARCIA BIGGS

58

The two most celebrated icons of the Surrealist movement Salvador Dali and René Magritte – are presented together in
an amusing new exhibit, Magritte & Dalí, at the ever-surprising
Dali Museum. Once again, the staﬀ has curated an engaging
show, combining exploration of a world-renowned artist with
education.

Surrealists from the late 1920s to the early 1940s, the period
when the two artists’ careers overlapped and they displayed
their works in the same exhibitions. Magritte joined the
Surrealist Movement in 1927, rising quickly to stardom. When
Salvador Dalí arrived in Paris two years later, Magritte was one
of the ﬁrst Surrealists he met.

Presented in a theatrical style with dimmed lights amid garnetcolored galleries separated by plush velvet curtains, the
expansive exhibit explores the work of the Spanish and Belgian

The Dali Museum wins kudos for embracing technology in
recent years (if you haven’t experienced the Dreams of Dali
virtual reality experience, you don’t know what you’re missing).

StPeteLifeMag.com

January/February 2019

ARTS & CULTURE
This show ends with an interactive
bang, as two ﬁnal galleries allow
the visitor to literally step inside
the art for a playful and memorable
experience.

several galleries making this exhibit
not especially child-friendly. Other
galleries explore how both artists
portrayed irrational spaces and
double images.

Surrealist Styles
Although they took very diﬀerent
approaches with their respective
styles, both artists were equally
committed to content and ideas that
stretched boundaries and questioned
everyday assumptions of reality.

Art and the Imagination
In the ﬁnal two galleries, visitors
are invited to inject themselves
into the art itself. One can ﬂoat
though Magritte’s cloud-ﬁlled blue
sky in an immersive 360-degree
screen room where the clouds are
continually ﬂowing and evolving.
It’s a “fully immersive experiential
room,” according to Jason Lashley,
creative director at Pixel Rain Digital,
an interactive projection mapping
company based in St. Petersburg.

Magritte is known for his deadpan
style and witty, thought-provoking
imagery of ordinary objects placed in
unusual context. His “cut-outs” in a
setting or landscape reveal another
dimension or unexpected reality
beyond. Numerous paintings present
cutouts through which can be seen
small clouds aﬂoat in an idyllic blue
sky. His L’Oiseau de ciel (Sky Bird,
1966) is a favorite dove image.
Dali, as well, was a master of placing
images within images, as can be
seen throughout. A ﬁne example is
Old Age, Adolescence, Infancy (The
Three Ages), 1940. The exhibit places
pieces by both artists side by side,
showing either related concepts or
imagery that clearly relate the two
yet display individual styles. Another
beauty worth contemplating is
Magritte’s landscape L’ile au trésor
(Treasure Island) 1942 with doves
metamorphosing from a green plant
along a shoreline. The birds are ready
to soar into those beautiful clouds,
this time seen hovering above a
mountain and seascape.
Both artists addressed the subject
of the female nude and fetishism,
and both topics are explored in

L’ile au trésor (Treasure Island)
1942/René Magritte

From here, move into the ﬁnal
gallery where visitors can insert
themselves via projection magic into
two paintings. Lashley describes it
as “augmented reality using infrared
tracking” on 54-inch monitors. With
the swipe of a hand, we are frozen in
time, allowing just enough seconds to
snap a selﬁe. Suddenly, the visitor’s
body image has replaced the man in
the overcoat and bowler hat, in one of
Magritte’s most recognized images,
The Son of Man.
The Dali organized the exhibit in
a partnership with The Magritte
Museum (a part of the Royal
Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium,
Brussels) and is co-curated by Dr.
William Jeﬀett, Chief Curator of
Exhibitions at The Dalí Museum, and
Dr. Michel Draguet, General Director
of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of
Belgium. The Dali Museum is located
at 1 Dali Blvd., St. Petersburg; for
hours and ticket information go to
thedali.org or call (727) 823-3767.

La Réponse imprévue (The Unexpected Answer)
1933/René Magritte

More Magritte
An adult art workshop, “Paint Like Magritte,” will be
held January 31 in which students can paint their own
Sky Bird; an open play/instructional chess event led
by the St. Petersburg Chess Club is set for February
9; and a Magritte and Belgian-inspired beer and
chocolate tasting experience is being planned for
March 28. Café Gala will also be oﬀering a delectable
Belgian chocolate torte and Belgian beer for the
duration of the exhibit. To ﬁnd a complete schedule
of events, go to thedali.org/events

Old Age, Adolescence, Infancy (The Three Ages)
1940/Salvador Dali

January/February 2019

StPeteLifeMag.com

59

TRAVEL

Longboat & Lido Keys
Find your perfect weekend getaway in Sarasota

The Resort at Longboat Key Club

BY MARCIA BIGGS
Sometimes all we need to do is look in our own backyard to ﬁnd just
the perfect weekend getaway. So fortunate are we in Tampa Bay to
have the award-winning beaches of Longboat Key and Lido Key just
an hour or so away. Minutes from Sarasota await two beachfront
resorts ready to remind us that we live in paradise – so let’s enjoy it!
My favorite is the smaller of the two, Lido Beach Resort. It has a
more intimate feel, with a thatch-roof tiki bar and a more private
beach on a curving stretch of immaculate white sand and crystal
blue water. It has 223 beachy suites and deluxe guest rooms in hues
of the sea – aqua blue and white. Endless views of the Gulf from the
balconies will immediately lower your blood pressure. St. Armand’s
Circle, with its toney boutiques and restaurants, is just a few miles
away. The resort oﬀers free shuttle service back and forth, which is
nice.
The Sunday Brunch at the Lido Beach Grille is alone worth the
stay. It’s one of those jaw-dropping brunches with tables groaning
with prime rib and seafood, pastries, salads, antipasti, breads and
cheeses, eggs and potatoes, crepes, plus an omelet and waﬄe
station. The panoramic views from the 8th ﬂoor present diners
a bird’s eye view of both the Gulf beaches and the downtown

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Sarasota skyline. Downstairs at the more casual Café Lido guests
can enjoy a ﬁne selection of lunch and dinner menu items, with a
focus on steak and fresh seafood. Even the tiki bar has an excellent
selection of hearty appetizers served al fresco for sunset dining.
The Resort at Longboat Key Club is a sprawling property with both
residential condos and rentals. The beach complex has numerous
condo buildings, restaurants and pools, all geared for the luxury
lifestyle. A spa and ﬁtness center is also on the beach. The staﬀ will
zip you to and fro in golf carts.

TRAVEL
About 15 minutes north on the key is where the resort’s
two golf courses (45 holes), tennis complex (20 Har-Tru
courts) and full service marina are located. A shuttle van
will provide transportation between the two properties. If
you love golf and tennis, this is the resort for you.
Guests have a wide variety of lodging to choose from at
either location. We enjoyed the marina-side Portoﬁno
Ristorante with its Northern Italian cuisine and casual
ambiance. The outdoor patio is the perfect spot to feel the
ocean breeze and gaze at the stars. Boaters should note
the Longboat Key Club Moorings marina oﬀers nightly
dockage, a perfect excursion from Tampa Bay.

Where To Go
Spend an evening or
afternoon strolling the
many boutiques, art
galleries and eateries
at St. Armand’s Circle.
We highly recommend
lunch or dinner at
Tommy Bahama’s on
the Circle. Both the
food and the service
are excellent, and
on weekend nights
there is live music. The
outdoor tables are a
prized spot for people-watching.
Spend a day at the Ringling
Estate in Sarasota where the
Ringling Museum of Fine
Art presents John Ringling’s
collection of world-class
Baroque art. The Circus
Museum, sculpture garden and
Ca d’Zan Mansion of John and
Mable Ringling are also here.

Lido Beach Resort

Mote Marine Aquarium is a
great stop for families with its
exhibits of live manatees, sea
turtles, otters, sharks, and other
marine life. This is a working
marine research laboratory and
sea turtle hospital, with expert
guides who are happy to tell
you all about the critters in the
tanks.

Under The Lights
St. Petersburg Shuﬄeboard Club makes a cool comeback
PHOTO /MARCIA BIGGS

Friday nights under the lights at the St. Pete shuﬄeboard courts brings out families, couples and neighbors.
BY KAYLA GLEASON
From humble beginnings in English pubs to rising popularity in
retirement communities and on cruise ships, shuﬄeboarding and
nightlife seem an unlikely pairing.
But in St. Petersburg, the courts have become the place to be on
Friday nights whether you’re meeting friends for a drink, searching
for a family-friendly activity or just looking to better your game.
“The perception maybe 15 years ago was that shuﬄeboard was
only for older people, but the great thing about it is that it’s fun for

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January/February 2019

all ages,” said Christine Page, Executive Director of St. Petersburg
Shuﬄeboard Club. “Yeah, it’s a lot of fun for older people but it’s
also a lot of fun for younger people, for kids. It’s a social sport,
it’s something someone can do if they have a disability, it’s for
everybody.”
“There are kids who started in 2005 and are now in college or
getting married who grew up with the sport and passed it on to
other friends. So now there’s this whole generation who don’t

SPOTLIGHT
PHOTO FROM ST. PETE SHUFFLE BOARD CLUB

Gaining in Popularity
Thanks in part to the tireless eﬀorts of the
club over the last few decades, shuﬄeboard
is experiencing a second surge in popularity,
allowing it to continue adding to its already
extensive history.
Originating in the United Kingdom over 500
years ago as a tabletop game, shuﬄeboard
didn’t become the modern, recognizable
sport until it moved here to St. Pete in the
1920s.
“The British Navy would paint it on the decks

559 Mirror Lake Dr. N.
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
727-822-2083
info@stpeteshuﬄe.com
Facebook: @StPeteShuﬄe
Free to the public every Friday
from 7-10 pm
Tuesday and Thursday from
6 to 9 pm; admission is $5 for
non-members, free for members

“This is the place to be in St.
Pete. It’s the Wimbledon of
shufﬂeboard.” - Mary Eldridge,
member since 1965

Club members gather for socializing and games in 1925.
think of it as a thing for old people but as an
everyday thing to do in St. Petersburg.”

St. Pete Shuﬄeboard Courts

of their ships, that’s how it got started on the
ground. It moved to cruise ships in the 1800s
then, in 1913, a hotel owner from Daytona
was on a cruise and loved it so much he
painted it on his sidewalk,” Page explained.

“My dad talked us into coming
after he saw it on the news. I
was thinking it was more of
an old person’s game but it’s
deﬁnitely interesting and a lot
of fun.” - Brittany Rader

A few winter residents eventually brought it
to the area and worked with the city to put
in two courts where the much larger club
now stands. As more clubs popped up across
the state – all playing by diﬀerent rules –
organizers knew oﬃcial guidelines had to be
made.
“Some were playing with two discs, some
had totally diﬀerent ways of scoring, some
courts were curved – so they all came here
PHOTO /MARCIA BIGGS

“It was one of the ﬁrst places I
found out about when I moved
here and didn’t really know
anyone. I went to a free Friday
and really liked the community.
All the people involved have
become like family.” -- Laura
Duvekot, member since 2010.

“We came down four years
ago on a Friday night and had
a blast and have been members
ever since. This is the coolest
thing in St. Pete.” Val Moore,
member since 2014

January/February 2019

StPeteLifeMag.com

63

SPOTLIGHT
PHOTOS /KAYLA GLEASON

in 1928 and formed the Florida Shuﬄeboard Association and
developed the rules,” said Page.
“In terms of tourist history, this is an important place; in terms
of recreational history, this is an important place, but in terms
of shuﬄeboard history, this is the place. Anybody who plays
shuﬄeboard anywhere in the world, plays with the rules that were
invented here.”
And that game spread like wildﬁre. By the 1940s, the St. Pete
Shuﬄeboard Club had over 7,000 members. The courts were full all
day with professionals, families and curious travelers alike.
Sliding Away
However, as the Tampa/St. Petersburg area grew, numbers began to
dwindle. And, by the late nineties, only 35 members were left.
“Many people didn’t have cars when the club ﬁrst opened so, if they
had an apartment downtown, they were limited to things in walking
distance. Now, you can drive to the beach, the mall, you can go to
Tampa – that was a two-day trip back then – so there’s a lot more
vying for people’s attention,” Page explained. “Then there’s the
perception that shuﬄeboard is only for older people, so it got a bad
rap.”
With such small numbers, members were unable to take care of the
building and maintenance of the courts went to the city.

Still, the club remained in operation.
“In 2005, a group of preservation-minded people approached
the then-president and asked if they could open up the club to
the public to help get more people interested,” said Page. “And it
worked. Slowly, more and more people started coming and now it’s
this St. Pete institution where we’ll have 250 people here on a given
Friday night.”
Friday Night Lights
St. Pete Shuﬄeboard is now 1,300 members strong and growing. On
many Friday nights, according to Page, the courts are already full by
opening time. Friday nights – which are free to the public – remain
some of the busiest at the club and attract people of all ages, even
those who have never played before and are simply drawn in by the
uniqueness.
And while the club has become the talk of the town over the past
decade, Page isn’t stopping there.
“Our goal is to have people here playing day and night. I want 7,000
members again, I want it to be weird if someone from St. Pete isn’t a
member,” she said.
For more information on the St. Petersburg Shuﬄeboard Club, check
them out at www.stpeteshuﬄe.com.

8th Annual Tweed Ride
WHAT: Wear your best vintage fashion on a bike ride through downtown
St. Pete. Vintage bikes encouraged. Presented by Cycle Brewing and
St. Pete Bike Co-op with proceeds to the St. Pete Shuﬄeboard Club
renovation fund
WHEN: Saturday, January 26; doors open at 2 pm, ride begins at 4 pm
HOW MUCH: $15 members, $20 non-members, children under 16 free
Tickets are on sale now at stpetetweedride.com

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Jewels of the Imagination presented by

Leadership support provided by Mark and Marianne Mahaffey, Jeff and Penny Vinik, The Bill Edwards Group, and The Margaret Acheson Stuart Society
with contributing support by Crown Automotive Group. Jewels of the Imagination is organized by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Drawn to Beauty leadership support provided by The Gerard B. Lambert Foundation.
Drawn to Beauty is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, St Petersburg.

Everything Old Is New Again
Two iconic historic hotels have recently come back to life
BY MARCIA BIGGS
Two historic hotels in Pinellas County –
the Belleview Inn and Fenway -- recently
reopened after extensive renovations to
astounding accolades.
The Belleview Inn
Many area residents recall the grand
Belleview Biltmore, which after closing in
2009 was facing demolition and became
a rallying call for ﬁerce preservationists
and neighbors in Bellaire Shores. For
decades the Belleview Hotel was a
vacation haven for industrial tycoons,
celebrities, and athletes and was visited
by every living president. Now it’s a part
of the prestigious Opal Collection of
hotels and lodgings worldwide.
The white Queen Anne-style hotel
was originally built in 1897 by railroad
magnate Henry Plant. While it expanded
over the years, the original four-story
structure, including the lobby and
35 rooms, has now re-opened as the
Belleview Inn. “This iconic landmark has
such a strong legacy here in Florida and
we’re thrilled to write this new chapter
in its story and introduce Belleview Inn
to a new generation of travelers,” said
Michael Cheezem, chief executive oﬃcer
of JMC Communities, the developer of
the property. “It’s imperative to us to
preserve and maintain that legacy and
respect its history, and we look forward
to sharing it.”
The legacy of the former hotel has
been meticulously preserved. Authentic
features were maintained, while
upgrading the property, including
the preservation of its original grand
staircase in the lobby, hard wood ﬂoors,
ﬁreplaces, guest room doors and Tiﬀany
stained glass – all kept intact from the
original building, erected more than 120
years ago.
In addition to introducing modern
furnishings, technology and amenities
in the rooms and suites, Belleview Inn

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SPOTLIGHT
features a resort-style pool oﬀ the west veranda and sundeck and
a fully equipped ﬁtness center. An impressive Tiﬀany Room, with
its Tiﬀany glass panels from the original building, will provide 1,000
square feet of indoor space for small groups and social gatherings,
that can easily spill out onto the grand back porch and the 5,000
square feet of outdoor event space on the Grand Lawn.
Guests of Belleview Inn will also have access to select amenities at
the Belleview Country Club and the Sandpearl Resort on Clearwater
Beach. Both the inn and country club are housed within Belleview
Place, a new-gated community, inspired by the elegance of the
Belleview Biltmore Hotel. There is no restaurant or bar at the Inn
currently.
The Fenway Hotel
The new Fenway Hotel – which has been through many
incarnations from a private college to a military hospital – has taken
Dunedin by storm with its jazz-era ambiance and spectacular views
of St. Joseph Sound from the Hi-Fi Rooftop Bar. A member of the
Autograph Collection® of Marriott International, the boutique
historic hotel is a project in collaboration with the Taoist Tai Chi
Society of the USA and features 83 guest rooms and suites; HEW
Parlor & Chophouse, and a combined 10,000 square feet of indoor
and outdoor event space.

Belleview Inn

The Fenway Hotel

“Our vision for the Fenway Hotel has become a reality, with a
spectacular ﬁnished product that beautifully blends touches of
the past in a modern setting, giving new life to this integral piece
of the destination’s charming, offbeat character,” said Joe Collier,
president of Mainsail Lodging & Development. “We’re grateful for
all the tremendous work and support behind the project, allowing us
to introduce a new generation to ‘The Grand Lady of Dunedin’.”
Originally opened in 1927, Fenway Hotel played host to notable
artists, politicians, musicians and living legends in its time as an
operating hotel. Considered to be the “most historically valuable
structure” in Dunedin, the hotel was also home to the ﬁrst radio
station in Pinellas County, which began broadcasting from the roof
of the Fenway in 1925. Through a partnership with Dunedin History
Museum, the hotel will feature a rotating collection of artifacts in
the lobby, host special tours and participate in other programming
to help preserve the city’s legacy and heritage.
The lobby bar features live jazz, blues and soft music throughout
the week (Monday through Wednesday from 5 to 9 p.m.; Thursday
through Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday during
brunch from 11 to 3 p.m.). Upstairs, the Hi-Fi Rooftop Bar is packed
most every night at sunset. Welcome back, Fenway!

Old World Charm in Modern Era at Casa Monica
Most of us know the rich history of St.
Augustine as our nation’s oldest city,
but every visit seems to uncover a new
gem. Casa Monica Resort and Spa
holds many stories within its walls,
dating back to 1888 when it was ﬁrst
built. Railroad magnate Henry Flagler
put it on the map as Hotel Cordova,
and later it would serve as the county
courthouse for over 30 years. In 1997
hotelier Richard C. Kessler spent $10
million on restoring it to the same
splendor guests would have enjoyed
almost 125 years ago.
The Moroccan grand lobby exudes
Old World charm with intricate
chandeliers, tapestries and fountains.
One of the most unique features
of most Kessler Collection hotels is

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TRAVEL
PHOTOS/THE KESSLER COLLECTION

the celebration of the artistic spirit. Within the hotel is the Grand
Bohemian Gallery, which features works of local and international
artists. Art glass, paintings, sculptures and jewelry are all displayed
for your perusal, and are also available for sale.
After a day of sightseeing in St. Augustine, the Costa Brava
restaurant oﬀers elegant dining and a meze-style menu. The
fresh coastal cuisine paired with an extensive wine list makes for a
memorable evening. Entering through 24-karat gold leaf arches

and dining under hand-painted ceilings set the tone for a lavish
experience.
For those who need a little downtime or relaxation, we highly
recommend a short trip to the Seranata Beach Club. Through a
partnership, Casa Monica guests can enjoy a day of membership in
the private club. Relax on the beach, laze poolside or enjoy lunch on
the lanai. A little East Coast beach time is always a nice change, and
well worth the drive.

Featuring the largest Selection of
original artwork in St. Petersburg, FL

Marita Milkis

Krystiano Dacosta

400 Beach Drive North East
727.220.1567
Michael Godard

SPL SCENE

Leadership St. Pete
St. Pete Life
congratulates the
Leadership St.
Pete Class of 2019.
A division of the
St. Petersburg
Area Chamber
of Commerce,
Leadership St. Pete
is celebrating its
50th anniversary
in 2019. The
program seeks to
identify, recruit and
develop leaders
who represent the
diversity of our local
community through
an interactive sixmonth experience.

y

Da
Valentine’s ay
is Thursd ,
ry
ua
Febr
14th

LOVE
in any language

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Join Us For An Evening Featuring
Local Artists, Wine & Appetizers
3rd Wednesday Of Every Month • 6pm-8pm
Furniture, Accessories, Local Art and Interior Design Services

727-821-4100
tampabayfurnishings.com

3034 Dr. M.L.K. Jr St. N., St. Petersburg
January/February 2019

StPeteLifeMag.com

75

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Parc’s Black Tie Ball

Give Your Child The Gift of Language

SALE

JANUARY

Language. Culture. Diversity. Discovery.

copenhagen
imports

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Ad
FURNITURE+LIGHTING+ACCENTS

A child is best equipped to learn and become ﬂuent in a second
language between the ages of 3 & 8, in an immersion setting. We
offer authentic, full-time French Immersion for preschool and
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You’re Invited to our Open House: February 7th 6-8pm
Please RSVP to admission@fastb.org

VIP Ribbon Cutting
VIP Eye Care & Optical Boutique at Carillon held a ribbon cutting on Dec. 11 with Chris Steinocher, President of the St. Petersburg
Chamber, Chamber Ambassadors and invited guests.

Half Page Ad

January/February 2019

StPeteLifeMag.com

79

SPL SCENE

Wine, Women & Shoes
Wine, Women and
Shoes, the annual
fundraiser for the
Children’s Cancer
Canter presented by
Nu Image Medical,
was held November
8 at Armature Works
in Tampa. The beneﬁt
raised $320,000 for
the kids and families.

Mitchell A. Sherman, Esq. provides practical estate planning
focusing on living wills, advance directives, living trusts,
special needs trusts, and complex transactional real estate
services. Our goal is to help you protect your family and loved
ones so that they receive the benefits of your lifetime of building your financial estate. Dedicated to assisting clients – with
over 30 years of experience – helping with the most important decisions for
your future and your family’s future.